Bhubaneswar: In a historic move, the Odisha Government under the “Mo Jungle Jami Yojana (MJJM) Friday awarded habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to 32 villages of Paudi Bhuyan Community in Deogarh district.
Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena handed over the Habitat Rights titles to the community leaders at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The Paudi Bhuyan, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PTVG) is the first indigenous community from Odisha to receive the Habitat Rights.
It is the fourth such title awarded in India under the category after the Bharia PVTG in Madhya Pradesh and Kamar PVTG and Baiga PVTG in Chhattisgarh had legal title and rights over their forest habitats.
During the entire claim filing process, the technical support was extended by Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) under the ST&SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department.
Hailing the move, Commissioner-cum-Secretary ST&SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department Roopa Roshan Sahoo said “It is a proud moment for all of us as the first PVTG community from Odisha, Paudi Bhuyans from Deogarh have been awarded Habitat Rights under FRA.”
Terming it a “significant milestone” Director SCSTRTI and Director ST Indramani Tripathy said the relentless efforts of the state programme management unit team along with the unwavering support of the facilitating NGOs have culminated the official recognition of the Paudi Bhuyan Community in Deogarh district.
There are 75 centrally recognized PVTGs in India. This special category from among the Scheduled Tribes was conceptualised during the 4th Five-Year Plan
based on the report of the Dhebar Commission (1960-61).
They were included based on the recommendations of Tribal Research Institutes of the respective states. Odisha houses 13 PVTGs, the highest among all the states.
On September 15, 2021, the Paudi Bhuyan community filed the Habitat Rights Claim through the Bamunda Anchalika Paudi Bhuyan Samaj.
The Habitat Rights claim of the Paudi Bhuyan PVTG community underwent a thorough review and received approval. The process also approved cultural and religious rights over the Maa Rambhaba Devi Sacred Grove.
District Collector Deogarh Somesh Upadhyay, expressing his happiness, said “The Habitat Rights to Paudi Bhuyan community will ensure the protection of their territorial habitat, generational knowledge, cultural identity and livelihood.
He further said the Habitat Rights under FRA will certainly help in recognizing their distinct cultural heritage and traditions.”
Divisional Forest Officer Deogarh, Magar Dhanaji Raoso the habitat right will allow the Paudi Bhuyan Community for the preservation of local biodiversity and sustainable management of natural resources.
UNI