Special package sought for forest dependant tribes

State Primitive, Forest Tribes Forum and Tribal Joint Action Forum have requested government to include special package to forest dependant tribes in Karnataka at the Central Budget 2016-17.

The forums have demanded central government to allot the budget of Rs 5 crores to each Tribal settlement for civic amenities and scheduling the tribal areas and to implement Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, by creating separate GPs as per the constitutional provisions.

Tribes Forum State Convenor JP Raju has said in a release that to provide basic amenities Rs 7500 crores is needed, which benefit specially privileged tribal groups and other forest dwelling tribes.

Requesting for the implementation of forest Rights Act 2006, which benefits 72,000 tribal families in State, he said the total budget needed for implementation of act is Rs 6000 crores. This apart, 3418 families displaced from Nagarahole National Park need to be rehabilitated by providing 5 acres of land and Rs 10 lakh compensation, he adds.

“The present 118 Ashram Schools and 20 Murarji Schools are not providing quality education and they need to be upgraded on par with Navodaya Schools. Nearly Rs 1000 cores has to be reserved in first phase. The government should establish a tribal University in Karnataka to provide quality education from pre primary to master degree covering 20,000 tribal children and youths in the Western Ghats region,” he requested.

Action Forum State Convenor Dr S Sreekant said that there is need of establishing tribal cultural academy and tribal education board at the State-level and branches need to be started in nine district of western ghats by involving tribal community leaders, experts, for which Rs 20 crores is needed. While, Rs 700 crores sought for developing herbal gardens, agriculture department, herbal medicine distribution centers in all districts.

Hundreds of tribal settlements have dispersed in Kodagu and Chikmagalore districts as wage labourers in coffee estates. The government should trace all 1500 tribal settlements and provide them civic amenities like school, Anganawadi, roads, house sites and houses, drinking water facilities, skill development training and much more.

Karnataka has nearly 6 lakh Adivasi population under Scheduled Tribe list who are forest dependent and forest dwelling communities. There is need of separate budget for forest dwelling Adivasi Communities who are under ST list, he adds.