Question : Rehabilitation of Tribals

(a) the total number of tribals affected/ displaced due to various developmental projects especially National Water Projects in the country during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) the number of complaints received by the Government against the scheme of resettlement and rehabilitation of such displaced tribals including tribals who are displaced from Devamacchi Reserve Forest, Karnataka and the action taken by the Government thereon during the said period, State/UT-wise; and

(c) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government for better and proper rehabilitation/resettlement of such displaced tribals across the country and the extent of success therefrom?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI JASWANTSINH BHABHOR)

(a) & (b): In so far as land related issues are concerned, the Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources (DoLR), is the nodal Ministry at the Centre, which plays a monitoring role in the field of rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced people. Land and its management fall under the exclusive legislative and administrative jurisdiction of states as provided under the Constitution of India (Seventh Schedule – List II (State List) – Entry No. (18). Therefore, State wise details are not maintained centrally. DoLR is responsible for collecting data regarding land acquisition and displacement covering ST families also. Further, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is the nodal Ministry for implementing irrigation and Water Resources Projects in the country. National Monitoring Committee Constituted under Sec.48 of ‘Right to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act,2013’ has taken up the work of compilation of information regarding and acquisition and displacement.

As per information received from the State Government of Karnataka, there are no cases in which tribals are affected or displaced from forest areas as a result of any developmental projects or National Water Projects in Kodagu Circle, Madikeri. There are no cases in which tribal families have been displaced from Devamacchi Reserve forest of Virajpet Forest Division. The forest Department has evicted the tribes who tried to encroach the forest land afresh in Devamacchi Reserve Forest. This was in accordance with the existing forest laws that govern the land. The District Administration has identified sites to settle the evicted tribal families and all basic amenities have been provided to them by constituting a District Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Kodagu.


(c) : To ensure adequate compensation and timely and proper rehabilitation of such displaced tribal people across the country, the Government has made special provisions in the “Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act 2013”. As per the Act, as far as possible, no land is to be acquired in the scheduled area except as last resort. In case acquisition or alienation of any land in the Scheduled Areas, the prior consent of Gram Sabha or the Panchayat or the Autonomous District Councils, at the appropriate level in the Scheduled Area in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, as the case may be, are required to be obtained, in all cases of land acquisition in such areas, including acquisition in case of urgency. The Act also lays down procedure and manner of rehabilitation and resettlement(R&R) wherein R&R is an integral part of the land acquisition plan itself. Chapter-V and VI of the said Act contains detailed provision for R&R awards and their implementation. National Monitoring Committee also reviews and monitors the implementation of R&R schemes and looks into issue related to displacement of people and timely payment of compensation.


****