Development - Alert

Jharkhand

Panel To Frame PESA Norms

The union Panchayat Raj Ministry has formed a sub committee for drafting model guidelines to vest the gram sabhas with powers derived under provisions of the panchayats ( Extension to Schedule Areas) 1996, Act (PESA).

 A letter issued by the ministry on the task and mission of the sub committee said, “though the PESA has been enacted in 1996, model guidelines, rules and regulations have not been framed for appropriate implementation in the states”.

The sub committee has been formed on the ground that there were major road blocks in the implementation of PESA provisions in the State despite the Central Act vests the gram sabhas with special powers.

“As there are legal contradictions between the provisions of the PESA and some existing acts such as Indian Forest Act (1927), Land Acquition Act etc, the gram sabhas were not allowed by the government department to exercise their real powers, obtained under the PESA. The draft model guidelines would suggest ways and  means to exercise the gram sabhas’ legally enabled powers.

(Source: HT)