Raghubar slams govt for non-implementation of PESA Act

Dumka: Former chief minister Raghubar Das on Saturday criticised the state govt for being indifferent towards the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act, 1996, in the state.
Das said, "The tribal society has been deprived of the benefits of the Union govt funds due to the non-implementation of the PESA Act though the community comprises the major support base of JMM, which is the ruling party in the state govt coalition. Jharkhand lost the Rs 1,400crore allotted by the central finance commission in the 2024-25 financial year as the state govt failed to introduce the PESA Act during its subsequent terms.
The situation persisted even after JMM promised the electorate to implement the PESA Act in its election manifesto."
"The implementation of the PESA Act would ensure 'Abua Raj' in real term as it would provide the traditional self-rule system of the tribal society a legal status in the 13 districts, comprising 112 blocks, which fall under the scheduled areas. The empowerment of the traditional self-rule bodies through the PESA Act will, in turn, go a long way in preventing the ongoing conversion of the tribals, otherwise being supported by the ruling alliance at the cost of the existence of the community and its culture," he alleged, accusing JMM of betraying the tribal society.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight
elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill
Pre-Order
Undo
The former Odisha governor further said, "The backward and Dalit community members were at the receiving end as central funds to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees could not be released to the urban and rural civic bodies for development works. Finance minister Radha Krishna Kishore, through a letter to the CM, mentioned that the condition of Dalits was worse than that of the PVTG communities."
While local JMM office bearers didn't respond, spokesperson for the state Congress, part of the ruling coalition, Shyamal Kishore Singh, refuted the allegations. "The state govt was committed to implement the PESA act. State Congress in-charge K Raju presided over a meeting with the party's district presidents on Saturday on the implementation of the PESA act. The district presidents have been directed to submit the reports to the party after due consultations with common people of the respective areas falling under the fifth schedule.
"
The state rural development department had held a state-level consultation with different stakeholders for seeking suggestions on the issue in Ranchi a few days ago.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India Today

23 minutes ago

• India Today

Karnataka minister HK Patil pulls up own government over illegal mining cases

Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to punish those guilty of illegal mining in the state, alleging that the government has not been honest and committed to ensuring proper punishment for those guilty of "looting the state's wealth".In order to bring the culprits behind illegal mining to justice, Patil also suggested steps that the Siddaramaiah government should take, according to a seven-page letter to the Chief Minister, Patil claimed that only 7.6 per cent of all illegal mining cases have been investigated and that the government has not done enough to punish the culprits and recover the lost wealth. "Between 2007 and 2011, massive treachery took place in Karnataka in the form of illegal mining. Politicians and bureaucrats systematically looted the state's wealth. The government lost Rs 1.5 lakh crore. But in spite of such a large-scale loot, the government has not demonstrated honesty and commitment in ensuring commensurate punishment for the loot and recovery of the state's wealth," Patil said in the said that there is public outrage over illegal mining in the state and the administration's inability to address most of such cases."There is outrage among people about this. A special investigation team (SIT), which is looking into a few cases, has not made progress. These cases are getting buried in government files and administrative delays," he also suggested steps that can be taken to effectively address illegal mining and their investigation:Through the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance of 1946, a Recovery Commissioner should be immediately appointed within the jurisdiction of the State Government to seize the property of criminals accused of recovery efforts. This Commissioner must be provided with the necessary support and strength. Steps must be taken with firm determination to make recovery to the number of illegal mining cases that have completed investigation and are now in the trial phase in court, there are at least ten times more cases that have not yet undergone investigation. Investigations into such cases are essential. For that purpose, a special investigation team with stronger enforcement authority should be formed, and the police system should be structured accordingly, enabling the punishment of criminals involved in such crimes.A special court must be immediately established to investigate the cases with criminal intent related to illegal Karnataka Law Minister further called for administrators to recognise the seriousness of the matter, saying, "The serious directives already given, and the documentary evidence submitted to the then-Cabinet subcommittee, must be preserved, and a final decision must be made before they disappear for any reason".advertisementThe state minister's scathing letter came more than a month after a CBI court convicted former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and three others in the Obulapuram illegal mining case. The matter concerned the investigation into the case involving the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), owned by OMC case involved allegations of illegal iron ore mining and export in the Bellary region of Karnataka and the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Investigations revealed that OMC had obtained mining leases under the guise of captive mining but had engaged in unauthorised mining Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka

Time of India

24 minutes ago

• Time of India

Netizens slam Pakistan's 'hypocrisy' and 'servility' over Trump Nobel nomination after Iran strikes: 'What greater betrayal could there be to Muslims'

Pakistan's Shahbaz Sharif The Pakistani government and its powerful military establishment are facing a wave of public backlash after formally recommending US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move that drew widespread condemnation following the US airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar sent a letter to the Nobel Committee in Norway, crediting Trump's 'decisive diplomatic intervention' during the recent India-Pakistan standoff. But the recommendation triggered a storm on social media after Trump ordered attacks on Iran's Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, an operation he called a 'historic moment' and one that escalated regional tensions. On X (formerly Twitter), users accused the Pakistani government of appeasing its 'master.' One user mocked, 'Pakistanis, beware! After the attack on Iran, PM Shehbaz might not only award Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, but also Tamgha-e-Jurat, Tamgha-e-Shujaat, Tamgha-e-Basalat, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, and perhaps even the Nishan-e-Haider!' Veteran journalist Ameer Abbas recalled that PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique had once likened Trump to Genghis Khan and Hitler. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo 'Now, the same government nominates him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Who is orchestrating such shameful and cowardly decisions?' he asked. Raheeq Abbasi, political analyst and columnist, noted the irony, 'Trump, who vetoed the Gaza ceasefire 8 times and is protested across the West for war crimes, is being nominated for a Nobel by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Is there no sense of honour left?' The backlash cut across ideological lines. Some users accused the military establishment of calling the shots. 'The uncrowned kings are ready to sell out the nation whenever they please,' wrote Major (R) Asim. Another user, Jarjees Ahmad, called out the 'supreme level of hypocrisy', 'We're nominating someone involved in the massacre of Palestinians while claiming to stand with Iran.' Aamir Khan added, 'What greater betrayal could there be to Muslims, our country, and the people of Pakistan?' The Pakistani government has yet to respond officially to the criticism.

Indian Express

38 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Rajkot Fort in Maharashtra shut again 41 days after Shivaji statue inauguration, ground cave-in sparks safety fears

Barely 41 days after the inauguration of a newly rebuilt 91-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the refurbished Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, has once again been shut to the public for urgent repairs. The closure was prompted by a partial cave-in near the statue's platform last week, raising concerns about the structural integrity and safety of the site. The Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a notice stating that the fort will be closed to tourists starting Sunday, with repair work expected to continue for several days. The damage was visible last week after heavy rains when a large crater emerged on the left side of the pathway around the statue. While the statue itself remains intact, viral videos showing the sunken ground have sparked widespread public criticism. Anil Patil, Collector, Sindhudurg, had attributed the incident to recent heavy rains. Although authorities initially claimed that the issue had been rectified, the decision was later made to suspend public access to carry out comprehensive repairs. The 91-foot bronze statue, depicting the sword-bearing Maratha warrior, was inaugurated on May 11, just eight months after the earlier 35-foot version collapsed in August 2024 amid heavy rainfall and strong winds. That statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023. The incident led to the arrests of both the statue's sculptor and its structural consultant amid a political firestorm, prompting the government to build a new structure. Constructed at a cost of Rs 31.75 crore, the new statue was unveiled by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, this second structural failure has revived criticism from Opposition leaders, including former Shiv Sena UBT Kudal MLA Vaibhav Naik. 'The state has so far spent over Rs 100 crore on this project, yet the ground around the statue has caved in. This raises serious questions about the quality of construction. Forts built during Shivaji Maharaj's reign have stood strong for centuries, yet structures built today with a supposed 100-year guarantee are failing. A thorough investigation must be conducted.' Naik said.