Assesment of implementation of PESA Act in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

The Extension Act prescribes that prior consultation with the gram sabha or the panchayat at appropriate level before acquiring of land for development of projects and before resettling or rehabilitating persons affected by such projects, is mandatory. The Extension Act has been an important legislative framework to be enacted by the state legislatures for the tribals to have their control and rights over natural resources and conserve and preserve their identity and culture and that too in a participatory manner through the institution of gram sabha. The role of parallel institutions should be minimised and that of Gram Sabha strengthened. It is necessary for an early implementation of the PESA Act in the tribal villages with clarity on the issues to be dealt with under PESA and those to be dealt by ITDA and other agencies. Implementation of the PESA Act should be taken up in letter and spirit. There is a need to relook into the current status of implementation and have a clear cut timeline to actualise this act. The State Act and the rules have not specified many powers whether they are given to Gram Panchayat or Gram Sabha. This has to be stated specifically as there is confusion at the ground level regarding the powers of these two institutions. Participation of the people in Gram Sabhasmust be encouraged and the best-performing Gram Sabhasand Gram Panchayatsshould be further motivated. One of the reasons for the non-implementation of the plans and programmes discussed in the Gram Sabha meetings, according to the respondents, is the provision of insufficient budget. It is necessary for the ITDA to allocate some funds directly to individual Gram Sabhas through concerned Gram Panchayats for the mobilisation and implementation of PESA Act. Camps for the mobilisation of the act have to be done from time to time, by tribal organizations and NGOs as well as government organizations.