New Delhi: Natural resources in forests should not be exploited at the cost of tribals living there, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said, favouring stringent action against those who "snatch" away their land and rights.
Inaugurating the first national tribal carnival at the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium, Modi said his government has initiated a number of measures for tribal welfare and launched a campaign for providing land rights to them.
Insisting that development and preservation of forests can go hand in hand, the Prime Minister called for economic development of tribal areas by setting up a web of over 100 rurban (rural-urban) centres across the country.
He also called for modernising mining techniques to help preserve forests and reduce pollution, while economically empowering the tribals through effective marketing of their produce.
"For generations, tribals are protecting forests and fending for themselves while farming on small pieces of land. Neither do they have any document nor lease deeds (to show their ownership), they are living off what their forefathers have given them. But due to changing rules, tribals are now sometimes facing problems.
"Government of India with the support of states is running a campaign and providing land to them. Tribals should get their rights and this is our priority. No one in this country should have the opportunity or the right to snatch their land...the government favours stern action in this regard," he said.
Modi said natural resources are mostly in forested areas which are inhabited by tribals and, while pursuing development goals, mineral resources should not be extracted in a way which is detrimental to their interests.
"There is need to extract iron ore, coal but it should not be done at the cost of tribals," he said.
The Prime minister said, in the past, while iron ore and coal were extracted, tribal people of mineral bearing areas never benefited from it. He said following the introduction of a scheme to impose cess, the money so collected is now being utilised to expand facilities, including infrastructure, to benefit the tribals.
The government, Modi said, is now pushing for advanced technology which ensures that the environment is not severely affected in the process of mining.
He favoured use of modern technology in mining besides gasification of coal at underground excavation sites to help control pollution and damage to the health of the people in surrounding areas.
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