Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. India

GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government on Saturday admitted in the state assembly that Gujarat's performance in implementing the tribal rights Act under which all forest dwellers cultivating land till December 13, 2005 as the cut-off date should be made its rightful owners is poor. Ending a debate on tribal rights act, initiated by Congress MLA Amarsinh Vasava, state tribal affairs minister Mangubhai Patel said, " So far, land has been distributed to just 7,683 tribals as against 1.85 lakh applications."

"We are allocating land to real tribals carefully, taking into account attempt by certain vested interests to instigate tribals to cut trees, start cultivation and demand the land claiming it to be cultivated before the cut off date. There is a need to check things thoroughly", the minister said, adding, "Some political interests are getting forms filled up by tribals, telling them they will get land even though they are not entitled to it."

Participating in the debate, Congress MLA Mohansinh Rathwa, revealed figures, showing Gujarat's performance being worse than most other states in the land distribution to tribals under the tribal rights Act.

As against Gujarat's 7,584 tribals getting land, which is 0.04 per cent of applications, in Andhra Pradesh land has been distributed to 1.73 lakh tribals. Other states' figures are: Chhatisgarh 1.92 lakh tribals, Madhya Pradesh 37,460 tribals, Orissa 50,180 tribals, Tripura 82,741 tribals, and West Bengal 11,110 tribals.

The state assembly session ended its three-day session soon after the debate on tribal rights Act.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Govt-admits-poor-show-...