After the restoration of ancestral property rights to the women in tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh in a landmark judgment by the HP High Court a month back, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, cleared his intention for providing land to landless and the younger sibling in Tribal areas of lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur to be given ‘Nautor’ land within six months.
Presiding over the 44th meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) held on Wednesday, Virbhadra Singh said that there were age old traditions in lahaul and Spiti where the there was a Bara Ghar (House of elder Brother) and Chotta Ghar (Younger Brother) and the elder inherited the property whereas the siblings either join the monastery or nunneries or work as labourers or open small shops for a living. "I am strongly of the opinion that this age-old tradition must change," he said and issued direction to formulate a policy within six months so that all younger siblings get their share.
The Chief Minister said that there were many cases coming to his office regarding providing land to landless in Spiti area of the State and a radical policy be formulated to provide land to them and others in Tribal areas to be followed retrospectively in Kinnaur district as well.
He said a sub committee will be formed under the Chairmanship of Forest Minister, with secretary law, secretary forests, secretary tribal development, PCCF to look into the Forest Clearance Cases in Tribal areas so that the development works do not hinder in view of the notification issued by the forest department in July 2014.
The Chief Minister however directed the department to fill up the vacant posts of doctors and para-medical staff in tribal areas on priority within two months. He directed to dispatch consignment of essential drugs of Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Allopathy in the Tribal areas before September or October. The Chief Minister took a serious view of non filling of posts of teachers of all categories by the education department in various schools in tribal areas, particularly in lahaul and Bharmour-Pangi and said that the vacant posts be soon filled so that the study of the students do not suffer.
Singh said around Rs 984.53 crores were being spent for development in the tribal areas in the fiscal 2015-16, adding that Rs 47.36 crore was being spent on construction of Roads, Bridges and Buildings in this financial year and a sum of Rs 68.01 crore in Education and Health sector.