*Release funds for tribes under TSP
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 17: Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, a premier non-Government Organisation, a strong voice of tribes (Gujjar-Bakerwals), today extended gratitude to the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, for implementing Forest Rights Act-2006 in J&K UT.
Addressing a press conference here today, Chairman of the Trust, Shah Mohd Chowdhary, extended gratitude to the PM Modi and Lt Governor of J&K UT for addressing the long pending issue of the Gujjar- Bakerwal tribal community of Jammu and Kashmir. He also referred to the positive role of Advisor Farooq Khan and Secretary Tribal Affairs, Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary into the matter.
Chairman of the Trust further said that the complete implementation of the Forest Act will certainly change the fate of the Tribal population in J&K. He said though the Forest act came to be enacted by the Parliament in 2006, but its benefits were denied by the successive political dispensations to the tribals of J&K even after 14 years. Chowdhary reiterated that it is only after the re-organisation of the erstwhile state in 2019, the said Act was extended to JKUT due to efforts of PM Modi.
Senior Vice Chairman of the Trust, Ch Arshad Ali while speaking on the occasion said though UT Administration has taken a historic step for granting rights to the tribals under the Forest Act, but thousands of applications of the Tribals are still gathering dust in the respective offices of the concerned officers. Despite clear directions from the Government, the Tribals are being evicted from their lands over which they have been granted Forest rights, he alleged.
Other senior members including–Hashim Ali, Mohd Hanief, Saleem Mohd, Bashir Ahmed , Mohd Aslam and Mohd Yousuf also spoke on the occasion and urged upon the Lt Governor to get Central funds released in favour of Gujjars/ Bakerwals for their development in J&K under TSP. It must be ensured that funds under TSP should not be diverted to other sectors, they added.
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