BHUBANESWAR : The newly constituted tribal advisory committee (TAC), in its first meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday, reversed the decision of the BJD government for amendment of the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property Amendment Regulation allowing tribals in scheduled areas to sell and mortgage their land to non-tribals.
The TAC decided to explore an alternative mechanism in the coming days to facilitate loans for tribal people for essential purposes such as marriage, higher education and business initiatives.
The proposal to amendment Regulation-2 of the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (By Scheduled Tribes) Amendment was first introduced in the TAC meeting held on July 11, 2023 and later approved by the state cabinet on November 14, 2023 when the BJD was in power.
However, following large-scale protest from opposition political parties, it was sent back to the TAC for reconsideration and was finally withdrawn following a decision by the state cabinet on January 29, 2024. With the TAC now rejecting the decision of the previous government, the restriction on tribal land transfer will remain in full force.
The meeting also approved a proposal to include the Mundari language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. This apart, discussions were held to include other tribal languages in the eighth schedule as well.
The meeting discussed the draft Odisha PESA rules which aim to implement the Panchayats (Extension to Schedule Areas) Act, 1996 as promised by the BJP before coming to power. The meeting decided to conduct further discussions and finalise the rules, ensuring that the interests of tribal communities are fully protected.
It was decided that a state-level workshop will be organised, involving tribal representatives from block, district and urban local bodies, and members of the legislative assembly, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The chief minister advised conducting extensive discussions on the rules at the workshop.
Majhi emphasised the importance of ensuring that tribal students, particularly those from vulnerable communities, receive justice and equal opportunities. He said the TAC is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of tribal communities in the state.
The BJP government had reconstituted the TAC in November. The chief minister is chairman of the panel and minister for ST&SC Development, the vice-chairman. There are 18 members including 15 MLAs, two MPs and a prominent tribal woman activist.