Date:18/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/18/stories/2008011855400100.htm

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Forest lands: ownership rights for tribals

Special Correspondent

Eligible families to receive title-deeds subject to an extent of four hectares

HYDERABAD: The State Cabinet has decided to provide ownership rights to tribals over the forest lands being cultivated by them, in line with the guidelines framed by the Union Government.

The benefit will be applicable to the families cultivating these lands for a minimum period of 10 years. Each eligible family will receive title-deeds, confirming the ownership, subject to a maximum extent of four hectares.

The Cabinet, which met here on Thursday, asked the Chief Secretary to get reports prepared in six months providing details about the eligible families and the lands they were cultivating.

“The Government will issue the documents to eligible families within six months thereafter,” Information Minister A. Ramanarayana Reddy told reporters later.

Taking note of the “unhygienic conditions” in the hostels/schools run for children of SCs/ STs, BCs/minorities and the disabled, the Cabinet had decided to take up their renovation and refurbishment with tiled flooring, improved toilets/bathrooms and compound walls.

Estimates for the works would be prepared before March 31 so that budget for refurbishment could be sanctioned and hostels/schools would be ready with the new look by June when the academic year would commence.

One condition laid down by the Cabinet was that Ministers and elected representatives of the area must visit these institutions when inmates were present before finalising the works. Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said maintenance of the hostels along with the cleaning work would be “outsourced” for a period of five years hereafter.

Masula port project

Minister for Ports Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao announced the decision confirming the award of Machilipatnam port project to Maytas Consortium.

As the site of the port was shifted to Machilipatnam proper from Gogileru, the consortium quoted an additional amount of Rs. 300 crore over and above the original tendered cost of Rs. 1,255 crore. As WAPCOS was busy, a committee of secretaries had been constituted to verify whether shifting of the site would cost this much.

A final decision on the extra cost would be taken after the committee submitted its report.