Bhubaneswar: The first meeting of the newly constituted Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) was convened under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Formed in November, the council has a fixed tenure of two years. The Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensuring justice and securing rights for tribals in all areas.
Many important decisions are expected to be made in the next two years through this new council. Majhi emphasized the need to ensure that children of Scheduled Tribes and Castes receive justice under the ORV Act. The Chief Minister also stated that all necessary steps will be taken to integrate tribals into the mainstream.
During the meeting, a proposal to amend Regulation-2 of the Transfer of Immovable Property (By Scheduled Tribes) Regulation, 1956, was approved. This proposal was first introduced in the tribal advisory council meeting on July 11, 2023, and later approved in the state Cabinet meeting on November 14, 2023. However, it was re-approved in the cabinet meeting held on January 29, 2024. The Tribal Advisory Council also approved the proposal, effectively preventing the transfer of tribal property.
Alternative proposals will be discussed and decided upon in the coming days to facilitate loans for tribal people’s essential tasks, such as marriage, higher education, or business. The meeting also adopted a proposal to include the Mundari language in the eighth schedule of the constitution. Additionally, discussions were held to include other tribal languages in the eighth schedule.
The draft Odisha PESA Rules were discussed, but further discussion and decision-making were deemed necessary. A state-level workshop was organized, involving tribal representatives from various levels, and the Chief Minister advised a detailed discussion on these regulations.
The state government has implemented various schemes for tribal development. The Shahid Madho Singh Hatakarcha Yojana, aimed at promoting higher education among Scheduled Tribes and reducing dropout rates, will be launched on January 5. Students enrolled in classes 9 and 11 will receive an annual incentive of Rs 5,000. Furthermore, steps are being taken to convert 705 schools into model schools under the Shaheed Lakhnan Nayak School Transformation Programme.
