Union Tribal Affairs Ministry secretary Leena Nair reviewed the status of implementation of tribal development programmes and schemes in the north-eastern states including Sikkim in a review-cum-consultation meeting held in Gangtok on Friday.
This was stated in an official press release.
Addressing the meeting, Nair said the Ministry has ensured systematic increase in the funding for tribal development, and efficient monitoring for proper implementation and timely submission of utilization certificates.
She also added that the Ministry now emphasizes more on frequent visits by officials to all the north-eastern states to understand the situation at ground zero, the release added.
“This is the first time a review meeting of this kind is being held in the North-east and we are happy to be here in Sikkim to deliberate on pertinent issues concerning tribal development. We have some issues and bottlenecks with regard to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act and the FCA, which have to be discussed and resolved. I look forward to fruitful deliberations ahead and wish that the outcomes of this meeting will be very positive,” Nair said.
Emphasizing on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (ACT) in the north-eastern states, the secretary stressed that the Centre Government is serious about giving the FRA duly ensuring that all the legal processes are put into motion and complied with.
The meeting took stock of various issues like FRA and FCA implementation, scholarship schemes, grants from NGOs and use of traditional, conventional and social media to raise awareness about the schemes among the tribal population, the release further added.