The Indigenous People’s Forum (IPF) expressed dissatisfaction over the Odisha Gram Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Regulations 2023 issued by the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department on Wednesday.
The regulations aim to modify several critical aspects, including reservations, ownership of forest produce, money lending control, land preservation, water bodies management, and land acquisition in the Scheduled Areas.
The IPF flagged concerns regarding the notice period and said that in the absence of public feedback, the draft will be treated as the final Gazette copy. It urged for an extended notice period to allow thorough public engagement.
Attended by representatives from Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Ganjam districts, the meeting discussed the proposed regulations. While acknowledging the regulations’ intention to foster governance and peace in Scheduled Areas, they stressed the importance of consulting the 62 distinct tribal groups in Odisha. Each group possesses unique traditional governance systems, indicating the necessity for inclusive discussions to align the regulations with their perspectives and suggestions effectively.
The IPF also raised concerns regarding the alleged lack of dissemination of the notification through Brahmapur editions via print or electronic media. The representatives criticised the State Government for issuing the notification without prior consultations with the diverse tribal groups, thereby overlooking their varied traditional governance systems. Additionally, they lamented the absence of tribal leaders in the consultation process and highlighted the inadequate discussions with tribal communities or the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) during the regulation formulation.
Ultimately, the IPF strongly opposed the Odisha Gram Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Regulations 2023, deeming them incongruent with the Employment Act, 1996. They urged the State Government to extend the public comment deadline, originally set for January 9, by an additional three months until July 9, 2024. Furthermore, they advocated for a comprehensive and inclusive formulation of Gram Panchayat (PESA) regulations, rooted in constitutional mandates and reflective of the social and cultural ethos of tribal communities.
“We urged the State Government through memorandum via Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Navin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian to address these concerns to ensure equitable governance in Scheduled Areas,” IPF convenor Theophil Gomango said.
