Jharkhand Cabinet Approves PESA Act Rules for Tribal Empowerment

The Jharkhand cabinet approved rules under the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act aimed at empowering tribal communities. Despite its enactment in 1996, PESA had not been implemented in Jharkhand. The new rules, devised after stakeholder discussions, grant significant roles to gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas.

The Jharkhand cabinet has formally approved the implementation of rules under the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, marking a significant step towards empowering tribal communities in the state. The decision was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Despite being enacted in 1996, the PESA Act had not been executed in the state of Jharkhand. According to Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel, the newly approved rules were framed after extensive discussions with various stakeholders and considering inputs from different departments to ensure effective implementation in the scheduled areas.

The PESA Act, specifically designed to recognize the rights of tribal communities, grants powers to the gram sabhas, particularly in areas like mining, land acquisition, and resource management, aligning with the provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. The comprehensive framework is seen as a move to bolster tribal governance and autonomy.