Jharkhand govt holds consultations with social organisations on PESA Act

Ranchi, May 15 (PTI) The Jharkhand government on Thursday held consultations with various social organisations on the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as the PESA Act.
    The PESA Act, which recognises the rights of tribal communities in Scheduled Areas, was enacted in 1996. The law is yet to be implemented in the state.
    At the programme, organised by the Panchayati Raj Department, discussions were held on the draft of the Jharkhand Panchayat Provisions (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Rules, 2024.
    Panchayati Raj Minister Dipika Pandey Singh said, "The state government is making every effort to implement the law in Jharkhand in alignment with the spirit of the central law. Today's workshop saw participation from various social organisations who presented their views on the draft. Their suggestions will be incorporated into the final draft."
    Education Minister Ramdas Soren, Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Dipak Birua, and Agriculture Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey also attended the programme.
    "This is a commendable initiative by the Panchayati Raj Department. We heard the concerns of social organisations. With their suggestions, a robust draft for the PESA Act will be prepared in the state," Tirkey said.
    Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed optimism about the programme's outcomes.
    "A discussion is essential to determine what is best for the state. I hope these deliberations will yield positive results," he told reporters.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)