(a) the schemes being implemented for the development of Forest Dwellers Areas;
(b) the details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred each year in the last five years and the current year;
(c) whether the Government proposes to give a special package for Western States (Rajasthan-Gujarat) like Eastern States for development of such areas so that extremely backward tribals could come in the main stream; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
(a) to (d) No specific scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for development of Forest Dwellers Areas. However, MoTA implements various schemes for all Scheduled Tribes, including forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and MoEFCC is implementing National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests in the country. Further, ‘The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006’ (in short Forest Rights Act, 2006) is a legislation to recognize the land rights and tenurial security of forest dwelling communities and not a scheme.
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