BHUBANESWAR: Members of Paudi Bhuyan tribe in Deogarh district were given habitat rights titles under Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, by chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena at Lok Seva Bhawan here on Friday.
Paudi Bhuyan, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PTVG), is the first indigenous community from the state to receive the habitat rights. The tribal community resides in 32 villages under Barkote block of Deogarh. It is the fourth such title awarded in the county under the category after Bharia PVTG in Madhya Pradesh and Kamar and Baiga PVTGs in Chhattisgarh.
The move marks a significant milestone under Mo Jungle Jami Yojana, said commissioner-cum-secretary of ST & SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare department Roopa Roshan Sahoo. Receiving the title, Chendali Pradhan, priest of community goddess Rambha Devi, of Pacheripani village said it will enable the tribe to collect minor forest produce from forests and sell them to SHGs and government agencies under LABHA scheme at minimum support price.
Besides, the habitat rights would also pave the way for development of religious sites across the 32 villages of the Paudi Bhuyan community in Deogarh district. Odisha houses 13 PVTGs, the highest among all states.
On September 15, 2021, the Paudi Bhuyan community had filed the habitat rights claim through the Bamunda Anchalika Paudi Bhuyan Samaj under Barkote tehsil. In March 7 this year, the habitat rights claim of Paudi Bhuyan community was approved at a meeting which also granted approval for cultural and religious rights over the Maa Rambhaba Devi sacred grove, officials said.
Meanwhile, the department officials on the occasion informed that of the 6,33,631 Individual Forest Rights applications received so far, titles have been distributed to 4,59,974 claimants over 6,71,639 acre of land. Community right titles have been distributed to 7,838 forest-dependent communities. Support under different social security and livelihood security schemes have been extended to 3,56,859 title holders.