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Ranchi, March 02, 2024: A two-day Regional Conference on PESA Act would be held from March 04 next at Ranchi in Jharkhand, official sources said.
With Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and especially the participation of State Departments of Panchayati Raj, Tribal Development, Forest, Revenue and Excise, the Regional Conference on PESA aims to evaluate the progress of these States in the implementation of the Act and foster a shared outlook on its impact at the grassroots level, the sources said.
In addition to governmental bodies, several civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working towards the empowerment of Scheduled Tribes have also been invited to contribute to the discourse.
“The main objective of the PESA Regional Conference is to assess the progress made by the States in implementing the PESA Act and to develop a common vision on its impact at the grassroots level,” the sources said.
The Conference aims to foster collaboration and discussions among participating States on enhancing the implementation of the PESA Act for the sustainable development of tribal communities in Scheduled Areas, they added.
Union Secretary for Panchayati Raj Vivek Bharadwaj will inaugurate the two-day Regional Conference on the Strengthening of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, which is popularly known as PESA Act, official sources said.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Panchayati Raj, Government of Jharkhand, is organising the Regional Conference.
Senior officers from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR), State Departments of Panchayati Raj, as well as elected representatives of Panchayats from the participating States will also attend the conference.
Government of India wanted to ensure that the benefits of PESA Act reach its target beneficiaries in line with the true spirit of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act).
This Conference marks the second in the series, representing the on-going efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to promote the effective adoption and implementation of PESA Act, the sources said.
The conference will feature well-designed sessions focusing on Effectiveness of Gram Sabhas in PESA Areas including their role in ease of living in these areas, Discussion on Powers Devolved to PESA Area on Resources (Minor Forest Produce, Minor Minerals, Land Laws, Money Lending Laws and enforcement of Excise related provisions in PESA Areas), Demo on PESA MIS Dashboard (Prototype) by NIC, Role of Non-Government Stakeholders in strengthening implementation of PESA and Enforcement of Forest Rights Act in PESA areas, which have been meticulously planned to address pertinent issues and foster meaningful discussions on relevant aspects of PESA implementation among stakeholders, the sources said.
The first two-day Region Conference on Strengthening of PESA held at Pune, Maharashtra during January 11 and 12, 2024, saw active participation from five States, namely Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
