Pattas to eligible tribal farmers before February by Andhra Pradesh government 

Addressing a training programme on ROFRA for district collectors, joint collectors, Integrated Tribal Development Agency project directors, the principal secretary said ROFRA was first brought in 2006
Principal secretary of tribal welfare RP Sisodia speaking at a meeting on recognition of Forest Rights Act in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. (Photo | EPS)
Principal secretary of tribal welfare RP Sisodia speaking at a meeting on recognition of Forest Rights Act in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. (Photo | EPS)

VISAKHAPATNAM: The State government is committed to give pattas for cultivable land to all eligible tribal farmers as per the Forest Rights Act, principal secretary of tribal welfare RP Sisodia said on Saturday. Addressing a training programme on ROFRA for district collectors, joint collectors, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) project directors and forest officials here, the principal secretary said Recognition of Forest Rights Act (ROFRA) was first brought in 2006 by the government. 

Then it was decided to give pattas to tribal communities based on right of settlements as on December 13, 2006. However, owing to lack of awareness most claims of forest dwellers were either rejected or kept pending on the ground that they did not have proper documents and evidence.Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was informed about the problem of thousands of forest  dwellers during Praja Sankalpa Yatra, has directed officials concerned to issue pattas to all eligible tribals before February next year.

Sisodia said the programme was  organised to give suggestions and guidelines to revenue, tribal, forest and survey officials to identify eligible tribal farmers and  issue pattas to them. He also said necessary training will be imparted to the staff for undertaking the process. However, care should  be taken that green belt in forests should be protected while giving pattas to tribal farmers, he said.

The real beneficiaries will be identified in coordination with the officials of various departments, Sisodia said. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Pradeep Kumar said justice was not done to genuine forest dwellers even after 13 years. He said it was necessary to create awareness among them about the documents to be filed and how to apply under the ROFRA.

He said divisional forest officials can use their powers to give pattas to tribal farmers. However, there were problems with regard to Vana Samrakshana Samitis, he said, adding  that lenient attitude should be adopted towards who were living in difficult terrain of  forest. Joint Collector L Siva Shankar said there were technical problems with regard to lands suggested by revenue officials.

Paderu ITDA project officer DK Balaji said tribal farmers, who were given pattas, were facing problems in getting Rythu Bharosa. Forest dwellers were facing a problem of constructing houses in forest areas. As many as 71,201 claims for 1,09,540 acres of forest land were pending. While 17,410 claims for 38,339 acres were old, 36,914 claims for 71,201 acres were new  applications. 

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