Latest news with #Panchayats(ExtensiontoScheduledAreas)Act
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
NAPM alleges illegal eviction drive in Nabarangpur; collector claims revenue records checked
Bhubaneswar: A team of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Odisha unit, has alleged the govt carried out illegal eviction from four villages of Nabarangpur district, leaving many tribal, dalit, OBC and other forest-dependent families homeless. The team, led by activist Prafulla Samantara, said on Wednesday that they visited the affected villages on June 19 and documented evidence of widespread demolitions and forced evictions in Hatibadi under Jharigaon tehsil, Mendabeda under Umerkote tehsil, Chacharaghati under Chandahandi tehsil, and Lakhanpur under Raighar tehsil. He said they met governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Tuesday and urged him to intervene in the matter. "Nabarangpur district is designated as a Fifth Schedule area. Despite clear provisions under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and Article 21 of the Constitution, these evictions were conducted without due notice or legal process and without the consent of gram sabhas," he added. Samantara said several villagers filed FRA claims, and these are pending before the govt. "The evictions violated the Supreme Court's stay order in the 'wildlife first' case and disregarded procedural guidelines laid out in the Roy Burman and Nandini Sundar judgments. Targeting of SC/ST communities also raises serious concerns under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989," he added. Sandip Patnaik, a team member, said the forest and revenue departments conducted the eviction drives so they can carry out plantations. "As they are residents, they need land pattas and houses under the rural housing scheme. At least the departments could have rehabilitated them before carrying out demolition. The poor are staying under the open sky during the rainy season," he added. The team demanded an immediate halt to all ongoing evictions in Nabarangpur and other scheduled areas and called for a high-level judicial or independent probe. "Action should be taken against officials involved in the eviction drive," said Manas Patnaik, another member. Nabarangpur collector Subhankar Mohapatra said they cleared illegal encroachments after checking the revenue records. "Whatever FRA claims were submitted by the people, those are under discussion in consultative committees concerned on the Forest Rights Act," he added. He said they will take action if the houses of people who filed FRA claims were demolished. "But we took all necessary steps, including issuing notices to people, before clearing the encroachments," the collector said.
The Print
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Lalu dreams of winning Bihar polls, but can't even manage his family: Union Minister Giriraj Singh
'Lalu Prasad is seeing 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne' of winning Bihar polls. The reality is that he can't even manage his own family. One of his sons has revolted. In the coming days, the NDA will again form the government in the state under the leadership of Nitish Kumar,' Singh told reporters here. Singh claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the government again in Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Ranchi, Jun 26 (PTI) Taking a dig at RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday said the former Bihar chief minister is dreaming of returning to power in the state, even as he struggles to manage his family affairs. Singh was here to participate in a mock parliament session organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Later addressing media persons, Singh alleged that democracy was murdered by the Congress during the Emergency. He also accused the Jharkhand government of patronising Bangladeshi infiltrators. 'Jharkhand is sitting on a heap of explosives, and that is Bangladeshi infiltrators. While infiltrators are being identified across the country, they are being welcomed in Jharkhand,' Singh alleged. He claimed that the state's tribal population was declining rapidly. 'There is no identity of Jharkhand without tribals. Today's youths have to launch a movement to save the tribals and Jharkhand's existence,' he added. Singh also urged the state government to implement Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as the PESA Act, at the earliest. The PESA Act, which recognises the rights of tribal communities in Scheduled Areas, was enacted in 1996. The law is yet to be implemented in the state. PTI SAN SAN MNB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Lalu dreams of winning Bihar polls, but can't even manage his family: Giriraj Singh
Taking a dig at RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday (June 26, 2025) said the former Bihar Chief Minister is dreaming of returning to power in the State, even as he struggles to manage his family affairs. Mr. Singh claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the government again in Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "Lalu Prasad is seeing 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne' of winning Bihar polls. The reality is that he can't even manage his own family. One of his sons has revolted. In the coming days, the NDA will again form the government in the state under the leadership of Nitish Kumar," Mr. Singh told reporters. Mr. Singh was here to participate in a mock parliament session organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Later addressing media persons, Mr. Singh alleged that democracy was murdered by the Congress during the Emergency. He also accused the Jharkhand government of patronising Bangladeshi infiltrators. "Jharkhand is sitting on a heap of explosives, and that is Bangladeshi infiltrators. While infiltrators are being identified across the country, they are being welcomed in Jharkhand," Mr. Singh alleged. He claimed that the state's tribal population was declining rapidly. "There is no identity of Jharkhand without tribals. Today's youths have to launch a movement to save the tribals and Jharkhand's existence," he added. Mr. Singh also urged the state government to implement the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as the PESA Act, at the earliest. The PESA Act, which recognises the rights of tribal communities in Scheduled Areas, was enacted in 1996. The law is yet to be implemented in the state.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NAPM members urge Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to protect rights of tribals in Nabarangpur
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha unit of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has expressed concern over a series of unlawful evictions and violation of human rights by the Forest and Revenue departments in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district. The forum members led by president of Lok Shakti Abhiyan Prafulla Samantara have appealed to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to intervene and stop all ongoing evictions in Nabarangpur and other scheduled areas to protect the interests of tribals and forest-dwelling communities. A fact-finding team of NAPM team had visited the district on June 19 and documented large-scale demolitions and displacement of hundreds of scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, OBC, and forest-dependent families across several villages. According to the report prepared by NAPM, villagers in Hatibadi (Jharigaon block), Mendabeda (Umerkote), Chacharaghati (Chandahandi) and Lakhanpur (Raighar) were subject to widespread demolitions by the Forest and Revenue departments. They alleged the eviction drives carried out during monsoon have left families without shelter, food, drinking water or access to healthcare. Despite clear legal protection under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, the evictions reportedly took place without proper notice and consent of Gram Sabhas while legitimate land claims under the FRA were still pending.
Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Net gain: Maharashtra panchayat adopts eOffice system
A panchayat in the tribal belt of Maharashtra has adopted paperless governance, courtesy the eOffice system extending its reach to the grassroots level. Rohini, located in Maharashtra's Dhule district, is possibly the first village panchayat in the country to implement the eOffice system, a digital workplace solution for government offices. Vishal Narwade, chief executive officer, Dhule Zilla Parishad, said the eOffice system started in the village this year. 'It was mandated from January 1 for district level, we extended it to panchayat too,' said Narwade. He said Rohini is the first panchayat to operate in paperless eOffice mode, though there is no official data yet to confirm it. Located at the foot of the Satpura hills near the state's border with Madhya Pradesh, Rohini is a 'PESA Gram Panchayat', a term used for gram sabhas in scheduled areas which are empowered by the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, also known as the PESA Act. The panchayat has a population of 7,200 spreading over the main village — Rohini — and 7 hamlets (Jagnapada, Bomalyapada, Chirkhanpada, Kalapada, Dampada, Piplyapani and Navapada). Over 80% habitants of Rohini panchayat are tribals, mostly from the Pawara tribe. Until recently, the residents of the panchayat had to walk miles to avail services as their hamlets were located 1-7 km away from the panchayat office. The advent of information and communication technology (ICT) in the village has changed the situation, with residents opting for online service delivery and grievances redressal. The people at Rohini panchayat, which had a literacy rate of just 45% in 2011, now boast about achieving 100% digital literacy. The panchayat uses at least eight different types of ICT platforms, including its own website that allows its residents to avail various services. The others include use of digital platforms such as eGramSwaraj, Panchayat Nirnay app for online participatory decision-making, citizen-centric service delivery via Common Service Centres (CSCs), Panchayat ICT lab for digital literacy, videoconferencing facility and Meri Panchayat app for grievance redressal and seeking suggestions. The latest ICT initiative is the introduction of the eOffice system that helps the village panchayat officials send and receive files in electronic mode. Speaking to The Indian Express, gram panchayat secretary Manoj Dilip Kumavat said that files from the Block Development Office are received and sent back using the eoffice, which was introduced in February this year. Apart from its website, the Rohini gram panchayat also has its own YouTube channel, Facebook page, Instagram account and a WhatsApp group. It also released its own E-governance policy last year. Narwade said bulk SMS and calling systems are used to disseminate information about government schemes, gram sabha meetings are held in physical and virtual mode where people of the village join remotely and telemedicine facility is available from the primary health centre to all the hamlets in the panchayat. Rohini sarpanch Dr Anand Pawara said the digital initiatives introduced by the panchayat have ensured effective implementation of the government schemes on the ground. Prasanna Kulkarni, a block-level health official, said the footfall of patients, particularly the number of institutional deliveries, has increased after adoption of ICT. Rohidas Surmal Pawara, 30, a resident, said he has availed the online services for getting a birth certificate and registering his grievances regarding non-supply of drinking water and electricity. The digital push by the Rohini gram panchayat has earned it accolades and awards. Recently, it bagged Gold in the National e-Governance Awards, 2025 under the newly added category —Grassroots Level Initiatives for Deepening Service Delivery at Gram Panchayats or Equivalent Traditional Local Bodies — which recognises digital initiatives by panchayats. According to officials, representatives of other PESA gram panchayats have visited Rohini. It has been selected as the panchayat learning centre by Pune-based Yashwantrao Chavan Academy Of Development Administration, the administrative training institute of the Maharashtra government, said Sharadchandra Mali, deputy director at the institute. For this, the Rohini panchayat received funding of Rs 7 lakh from the Central government, Mali said. (The writer was in Rohini village on the invitation of Ministry of Panchayati Raj) Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
