GORAKHPUR: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said his government is making efforts to bring the forest dwelling Vantangiya community to the mainstream of the society by declaring their settlements as revenue villages.
The Vantangiya community comprises people brought from Mayanmar during the colonial rule to plant trees for afforestation.
"The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to providing basic facilities to the Vantangiyas. Since Independence, members of Vantangiya community have been deprived of their rights.
"Once the villages dominated by them are declared as revenue villages, they will gradually integrate with the mainstream of the society," the chief minister told reporters here before leaving for neighbouring Maharajganj district.
A revenue village is a small administrative region with defined borders. One revenue village may contain many hamlets.
A village administrative officer is the head officer of a revenue village.
The chief minister said in the second phase, 47 Vantangiya-dominated settlements will get the status of revenue villages, taking the number of such villages to 65.
"As many as 1,625 villages will also be declared as revenue villages," he said.
The community faces problems related to the use of natural forest produce like fruits, honey, wax, wood and leaves to meet their daily needs as the forests inhabited by them are not considered as revenue villages.
Conversion of tribal-dominated forest villages to revenue villages under the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act will enable the administration to adopt development measures such as setting up of schools, dispensaries, and other facilities in these villages.
Adityanath also interacted with people at Gorakhnath temple and was briefed by officials about preparations regarding Makar Sankranti celebrations, Khichdi Mela and Gorakhpur Mahotsav which will be held from January 11 to January 13.
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