Bhubaneswar, Aug 9: On the occasion of the World Indigenous Peoples Day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Mo Jungle Jami’ scheme. With the new scheme, the Chief Minister expressed hope that this initiative would create a milestone for the development of tribal communities in various sectors.
The primary objective of the scheme is to empower and secure the rights of individuals and collective groups over suitable personal and community rights on jungle land. By integrating this scheme with comprehensive developmental programmes, the tribal community's livelihood will be enhanced, creating stability and self-reliance. Notably, this will also lend recognition to the forest villages that were previously underappreciated by establishing their sovereignty.
Addressing the gathering of officials and tribal representatives present on the occasion, Patnaik emphasized the scheme's commitment to extending rights to all eligible beneficiaries, ensuring fairness and justice. He highlighted the need to safeguard marginalized individuals who were previously excluded, underlining the inclusivity of the scheme.
The allocation of forest land rights over the years has made Odisha a leading state in ensuring the welfare of indigenous communities. Patnaik said that, until now, around 4.5 lakh tribal and forest-dwelling families have been granted land rights on forest land. Additionally, over 4,000 gram sabhas have been empowered with collective land rights, further strengthening the authority of forest communities.
