Raman writes to Govt on Forest Rights Bill

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh has written a letter to Central Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah, expressing concern over the delay in implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2006. The Bill, aimed at giving tribals and forest dwellers the rights to occupy forest land, was passed by Parliament in December 2006.

“The delay in the final notification of the Act can cause a major resentment among millions of tribals across the country. In Chhattisgarh alone over 2.5 lakh tribal families will benefit from the Bill,” he said.

“Chhattisgarh has advocated changes in the draft rules because the legislation in its current form provides ownership rights to lands which they possess but no rights over trees on the same forested land,” he stated.

The letter is being viewed as an attempt to woo tribals, who constitute 45 per cent of the total population in the state, ahead of the Assembly polls.