BERHAMPUR: Even as the State Government claims the top rank in implemention of Forest Rights Act(FRA)-2006, Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers of Ganjam are struggling to get rights over the forest land .In the last four years, 12,957 applications for forest rights were received from Scheduled Tribes by the district-level Forest Rights Committee and, only 5779 tribals have been granted land titles. Majority of the forest area in the district lies in Patrapur, Sorada, Dharakote, Khallikote, Jagannathprasad and Sanakhemundi blocks.
Though Ganjam is one of the seven districts along with Keonjhar, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Sundargarh, Deogarh and Nuapada where over 5000 titles have been distributed, demarcation of titles is below the State average. Of the 5779 tribals who got land titles in Ganjam, land has been demarcated in only 3,334 cases.
As per State Government norms, the identified tribal beneficiaries will get financial assistance for development of the allotted land, besides housing assistance under Indira Awas Yojana or Mo Kudia Yojana. However, by the end of last month, 738 Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries had received financial assistance for land development, 14 beneficiaries got assistance to dig up ponds on the lands and another 93 tribals got money to carry out projects under Horticulture Department on the land provided to them.
On the other hand, applications of 6300 traditional forest dwellers have been rejected so far. Officials of the District Social Welfare Department said none of the 6300 applicants could produce proof that their last three generations have been residing in the forest as a result of which, their applications for land titles were rejected.Various social organisations who are working in the field of forest land rights, have urged the Government to relax the existing norms of the Act to provide land to the traditional forest dwellers.