The Hindu : National : Changes in Forest Rights Bill being finalised

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Saturday, Jul 22, 2006

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Changes in Forest Rights Bill being finalised

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: A Group of Ministers (GoM) is considering the recommendations of a joint parliamentary committee on the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill. It seeks to grant land rights to forest-dwelling tribals.

TheGoM, headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, already held a meeting and will soon finalise changes in the legislation, Tribal Affairs Minister P. R. Kyndiah told reporters here on Friday. "We are trying to make it as comprehensive as possible."

Once finalised, the Bill would be sent to the Cabinet for approval. Efforts were being made to table it in the Parliament session beginning on Monday.

The GoM includes Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Environment and Forests Minister A. Raja, Mr. Kyndiah and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar.

The issue of granting land rights to indigenous groups became a controversy with the Environment and Forests Ministry drafting its own Bill. It believed that the move would adversely affect the environment and wildlife, while the draft made by the Tribal Affairs Ministry sought to grant land rights to the Scheduled Tribes. However, the Prime Minister asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to pilot the Bill, which was tabled in Parliament and then referred it to the JPC to accommodate divergent views.

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