Srinagar, October 16 (Scoop News) – Demanding identical bill for nomads introduced in State Assembly to accord property rights to slum dwellers the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation-a frontal organisation of Gujjars today impressed upon the Jammu and Kashmir Government to formulate a time bound programme to Rehabilitate nomadic tribes mainly Gujjars and Bakerwals as they are without shelter since centuries.
The Deputy Chief Minister who is also the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, on 3rd October introduced a bill (LA Bill No. 24 of 2011) in the Legislative Assembly which accords property rights to slum dwellers of state.
“The condition of nomadic population of Gujjars and Bakerwals are worst than slum and we are demanding the extension of National Forest Act 2006 to rehabilitate Schedule Tribe Gujjars-Bakerwals on Forest lands on the prototype of other states of India ” said Dr. Javaid Rahi Secretary Tribal Foundation while addressing a community gathering organised by the foundation to discuss community affairs. The Forest Rights passed by Government of India has implemented in all States of India except J&K.
He said a big chunk of nomadic population of the community are shelter less and landless since centuries which deserves a fair deal at all levels. He said that the nomadic communities suffered a lot owing to non-existence of similar Forest Right Act of Rehabilitation in constitution of
The Gujjar-Bakerwal Tribe are pressing hard for identical rights available to all Schedule Tribe Communities of India for their development and rehabilitation .
He said that there are thousands of Tribal Forest Villages in
The other speakers also made an appeal to State Governor Sh N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ,through Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation –a Frontal organization of Gujjjars and sought intervention both dignitaries for extension of identical legal provision in the state for J&K tribes and pleaded vigorously for constitutional safeguards to rehabilitate lakhs of nomadic and semi-nomadic Gujjar Bakerwal population in such forest villages.
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In all state of India except J&K after the enactment of Conservation Act 1980 a programme was launched during the 10th Plan for Integrated development of thousands of forest villages originally identified with about 22.5 lakh tribal families from all over country with a view to raise the Human Development Index (HDI) of the inhabitants of the Forest Villages and to provide basic facilities and services like food, safe drinking water, health care, primary education, approach roads, other infrastructural facilities to nomads.
The development of Tribal Forest Villages on National patterns can also be helpful in exploring Forest Tourism potential in
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