Press Note Date : 20/07/2010 ENG

OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF OPPOSITION

Gujarat Vidhansabha, Gandhinagar.

Press Note        Dt. 20-07-2010

Gujarat government is ignoring the tribal areas of the state despite central law giving rights to poor tribals on the tribal property. The BJP government does not want to give this right to people. This representation was made to Gujarat Governor by 16 Congress MLAs from tribal areas. They met the Governor today under the leadership of Shaktisinh Gohil, Leader of Opposition and Arjun Modhwadia.

As a result, they said, 1,86,000 claims have been made before the state government. However only 18,000 have been settled. Deputy collectors who have no power to deal with claims are assigned this job and they are rejecting the claims. There is a provision of forest development committee in gram sabha. However only pro government committees are set up by officers.

A scheme to provide housing plots to poor was introduced by Congress government and is still continuing. According to this scheme government should give housing plots to all farm labourers and rural artisans. But the Gujarat government is giving the benefit only to BPL card holders and is doing injustice to thousands of poor. BPL families do not get BPL cards while rich and influential people related with BJP get these cards. NREGA expenses can be made on the basis of demand from gram sabha. There is a provision of social audit by gram sabha. There is clear mention of this in section 16 and 17 of NREGA. However, the government is violating it. Forest labourers are not made permanent and are exploited. On the pretext of satellite imagery officers are behaving in autocratic manner in tribal areas. These are people are not given the benefit of balanced development. The MLAs have also request Governor to visit these areas. Congress MLAs of the tribal areas will jointly visit these areas and present the issues of tribals before this deaf government.
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