Two N-E CMs to attend BJP ST Morcha meet

BHUBANESWAR: As several States, including Odisha, have been undermining tribal rights law and actively pursuing  policies that are in direct violation of the letter and spirit of the Act that recognises traditional rights of tribals over forest land, the BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha will fight for its rights, said national president of the Morcha, Ramvichar Netam.

Coming down heavily on the Naveen Patnaik Government for doing nothing for tribals of the State in the last 19 years, Netam said development is yet to reach tribal areas as the BJD Government has turned a blind eye to the indigenous people.

Netam, who is here for the two-day national executive committee meeting of ST Morcha, said more than one lakh Adivasis are expected at the ‘Adivasi Adhikar’ rally to be held on February 3. The meeting will be held at Puri from February 2.

The rally to be addressed by national BJP president Amit Shah will send out a message to the BJD Government that they are strong enough to snatch their rights which it failed to protect, he said. 
Netam said Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura will attend the two-day convention.

Highlighting major failures of the State Government, Netam said though record of rights have been issued to landless tribals, land has not been handed over to them. Without land rights, they have no access to institutional credit.

Expressing anguish over underdevelopment of tribal areas, Netam echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concern over poor utilisation funds collected under District Mineral Foundation (DMF).
“The State Government is yet improve its poor track record of fund utilisation. I came to know that funds sanctioned from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for construction of model schools and ensuring minimum support price for minor forest produce remain untilised,” he said.

A member of  Rajya Sabha, Netam said the Centre has sanctioned 92 Ekalavya Schools for Odisha, but the schools could not be operationlised due to lack of support from the State.

Criticising the State Government for curtailing the power of elected representatives in nine tribal-dominated districts where Special Development Councils are formed, the tribal leader from Chhattisgarh said this is an attempt to cover up its failure in implementation of Centrally-sponsored schemes.