Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren urges tribals to study PESA Act to protect land, resources

Seraikela (Jharkhand), Jan 1 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday urged the tribal community to study the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and understand its provisions to fully benefit from it.

Addressing a public meeting after paying tribute to the tribal martyrs killed in police firing on this day in 1948 for the cause of separate Jharkhand state, Soren said while the Chotanagpur and Santal Paragana Tenancy Acts are already there to protect tribal land, implementation of PESA Act would further stregthen gram sabha and panchayats.

He said that due to lack of knowledge of the law, outsiders are exploiting urbanisation to assert control, an official statement quoting Soren said.

Many village heads (Manki-Munda) have hundreds of acres, but brokers are grabbing lands despite existing protections under CNT and SPT Acts, Soren said.

Soren appealed the tribals to install solar panels on their land, if not used for farming, and the government was ready to buy electricity produced by them. Such approach would help them earn money, he said.

The CM said that with the implementation of the PESA Act, villagers will now get their due rights through gram sabhas and panchayats, which will help them to protect their 'jal, jungle, zameen' (water, forest, land) Paying tribute to the martyrs, Soren said the soil of Jharkhand is full of warriors and no state in the country has such a rich history.

"We have survived because we fought and never accepted defeat," he said.

On the 78th anniversary of the Kharswan firing incident, Soren announced a special commission, comprising a retired judge, local representatives, and social workers, to identify descendants of the martyrs for recognition and financial assistance.

Hailing the leadership of JMM patriach Sibu Soren, who died in August last, the CM said Disom Guru had provided a direction to the state, which turned 25 years and was marching on the path of rapid development. PTI BS MNB