VKA to launch awareness campaign for tribal rights
By Express News Service - BHUBANESWAR
Published: 17th September 2013 11:55 AM
Last Updated: 17th September 2013 11:55 AM
The Vanvasi Kalayan Ashram (VKA), a charitable organisation of the Sangh Parivar working for tribal welfare, will launch a three-week long awareness campaign beginning from September 20.
Talking to mediapersons on Monday, general secretary of the State unit of the VKA Laxmikant Dash said about 10,000 tribal villages of the State will be touched during the awareness programme. The objective of the campaign is to build pressure on the State Government to restore the basic rights of the tribals.
Although tribals constitute about 23 per cent of the State’s population, majority of them do not enjoy land rights, said Dash. The Government has not been able to provide land to landless tribals even after 67 years of Independence.
Dismissing the Government’s claim that land rights of more than three lakh tribals have been settled and that Odisha is ahead of the other States as far as settlement of forest land in favour of tribals is concerned, Dash said it is only propaganda and the reality is something different.
Stating that tribals are major victims of industrialisation, Dash said the VKA will demand resettlement and rehabilitation of the families displaced by various projects.
The awareness campaign will be on six-point charter including share on the profit of industries for the project affected families. The other demands include filling up vacant posts reserved for scheduled tribes, creation of more job opportunities for tribals and protection of their cultural heritage.
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