M
Md. Asghar Khan
Asghar Khan is a Ranchi based freelance reporter covering forest rights, tribal rights and developmental issues for various web publications since past three years.
Stories by Md. Asghar Khan
 14 Nov, 2022

For tribals in Jharkhand’s Arakeram, Sal signifies the tree of life

The rituals of karma pooja and sarhul revere the tree as the one who has given birth, the one who protects, and the one who is the caretakerRanchi, Jharkhand: For the people of Arakeram in Jharkhand, trees are everything — the god, protector and benefactor. No day is more important to them than that of karma pooja and sarhul, both held annually.Karma is a tree that tribal people consider as the first one to have grown on earth. On the day of karma pooja held in August-September every year, three branches — they represent the one who has given birth, the one who protects, and the one who is the caretaker — are cut from the tree and planted at an akhra (a place of worship). Historically, Rohtasgarh tribal people had escaped attacks from Mughals about 500 years ago by hiding in the karma forest.Sarhul celebrations last for three days on which the tribal communities pray for a good harvest by worshipping sal trees in their sarnas (sacred groves). They also remember their forefathers on these occasions. “Our ancestors used the leaves of sakhua (sal tree) for clothing and its fruits as food. Sal leaves, even when plucked and kept in water, do not rot. No other tree has that special quality. In the local language, we say, hazaar saal khada, hazaar saal pada, phir bhi nahi sada, to convey how resilient sal is,” Sarna Adivasi religious leader Bandhan Tigga tells 101Reporters.Akhra — the worshipping place where tree branches are planted as a part of the karma pooja ritual (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)Beating drums, singing and dancing to the tune of folk songs are all part of the festival. A cultural dance named jadur is the main attraction as it is performed only during sarhul, symbolising respect for forest lands. Both men and women from Uraanv and Munda tribes participate in the dance.The priest conducts the ceremony by keeping three pots filled with water at the sarna on the first day. On the third day, if the water in the pot is found to have reduced, it is considered as a sign of fluctuations in rainfall that year. If the water level remains the same, it is concluded that the year will see good rainfall. They sing in Sadari language: ayele re gotiya, mhauav lataha saag biyari'You have arrived after ages, all we have to offer is mahua, lataha and saag' On the last day of sarhul, the priest hands over sal flowers to all families in the village or tuck them on their house doors to welcome prosperity and growth.  Sarnas are sacred groves where sal trees are worshipped and protected (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)Sal trees mostly constitute the forest of Arakeram. “What does one get by worshipping an idol? Neither water nor oxygen. But the tree we worship provides us with everything,” Tigga remarks.As per the 2011 Census, of the 3.3 crore people in Jharkhand, 86.3 lakh are tribal people belonging to Sarna, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. But irrespective of their religious backgrounds, they give primacy to water, forest and land. For them, nature is the first priority. “We get medicine, fruits and flowers from trees. We feed sal leaves to our goats and sell them in the local market once they are fully grown. This is our source of livelihood,” says Ramesh Bedia (35), the elected panchayat head of Tunahuli under which Arakeram village falls.Ramesh Bedia, the elected panchayat head of Tunahuli, Jharkhand (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)A notice board listing the ban on tree felling in Arakeram, specifying the punishment for the same (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)“The village did not see a single case of COVID-19. People here rarely fall ill due to the pleasant and cool environment. In fact, even during peak summer, we use a thick blanket while sleeping,” Ramesh adds.Traditional conservation knowledge is passed down through generations. “Children in village school are taught indigenous techniques in farming, forest, water and land conservation. We also take them to the weekly gram sabhas to keep them connected to our culture and nature,” Arakeram village head Gopal Ram Bedia informs.A way of lifeLocated around 30 km from Ranchi, Arakeram in Ormanjhi block has seven groups of men and women guarding the forest in shifts starting from 6 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 6 pm. Their daily activities in the forest, spread across 400 acres, are decided at the weekly gram sabha meetings. Every group has 10 to 12 people. "There is no interference from the forest department," says Ramesh. Gopal Ram says people have promoted conservation since 1992. But it got a new direction in 2005, when a forest conservation committee was formed to preserve jal, jungle and jameen. At present, Ramesh Bedia is the committee president and Ormanjhi block forester Sumant Varnaval is the secretary.Arakeram village, Jharkhand (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)Sushila Devi, 35,(Left) and Pancham Devi, 45 (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)In 2016, the forest department awarded them a grant of Rs 4 lakh, which was utilised to mainly create water harvesting structures. "Though the department trains its new joinees, we also pitch in by sharing our traditional conservation methods and knowledge on how to save forests from fires, harvest rainwater and build loose boulder structures using desi methods," Ramesh informs.The conservation efforts have transformed the image of the place in such a way that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had discussed this change in his weekly Mann Ki Baat radio address. “No explanation is needed to protect trees. This is in our tradition. We have seen our ancestors do it,” says Vimala Devi (27), one of the guards. Giribala Devi (35), another guard, says if someone is caught stealing wood or leaves from the forest, they are fined.Fruits of labourThe gram sabha’s decisions to ban tree felling in the forest since 2015 and drilling of individual borewells in houses since 2017 were the turning points in conservation efforts. Until then, they could not save as many trees as they wanted because it was difficult to govern the felling of trees. Under the new system, gram sabha has to be approached in case a villager needs timber, which is permitted only when it is an utmost necessity. "Earlier, the water was available at around 30 ft, but now we get it at 15 ft itself. Even the hand pumps get water at 25 ft against the earlier 45 ft," informs Ramesh.Gopal Ram Bedia, the village head of Arakeram, Jharkhand (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)The villagers also took up rainwater harvesting in 2019 to prevent runoffs from a nearby hill. “Earlier, rainwater used to go to waste. But after we dammed the water and diverted its flow into our fields and ponds, we are enjoying the benefits of a water surplus,” say Sushila Devi (35) and Pancham Devi (40). At present, around 10 hand pumps and wells meet the water needs of all villagers.Elaborating, Gopal Ram says the collective effort through voluntary labour created 700 boulder structures over the course of 70 days to divert rainwater from the hill to the village. “As a result, 72 small ponds, 55 wells and four big ponds in the village hold water throughout the year,” he says. A group of approximately 200 men and women worked jointly to achieve this.The villagers are reaping the fruits of their labour today. “We are blessed with good rains now. Thanks to forest conservation, kendra (apricot), pithore, mango, jamun (java plum), bahra (plum), bel and pior are plentiful. If there is no forest, there will be no village,” say Sushila and Pancham. Apart from paddy, people grow vegetables throughout the year.The forest has 500 species of trees and plants. Monkeys no longer stray in and ruin crops as they have enough to eat in the forest.“In the last two years, we have sold mangoes worth Rs 1 lakh. Earlier, the forest was so sparse that we could see even a small animal passing through. But now, it is so dense that even an elephant herd will not be visible!” Gopal Ram remarks. Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaThis article is a part of 101Reporters' series The Promise Of Commons. In this series, we explore how judicious management of shared public resources can help the ecosystem as well as the communities inhabiting it.The cover image is of Vimala Devi (left), with her infant tucked away with a cloth on her back, accompanied by Giribala Devi. Both the women are part of a livelihood self-help group, captured by Md Asghar Khan.

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For tribals in Jharkhand’s Arakeram, Sal signifies the tree of life

 27 Aug, 2022

Poor monsoon sows seeds of distress, migration in Jharkhand

As drought-like conditions prevail, only 5% of the paddy fields in Khunti district have come under cultivation by July-end as against last year’s 98%Khunti, Jharkhand: Ajay Tirkey is just 29, but he is all set to move to a city in search of employment, thanks to the lack of rains that has failed the paddy crop in the region. Jharkhand is known for its rainfed crop of rice, and tribal families like the one Tirkey belongs to are fully dependent on it. “My joint family of nearly 40 members relies mostly on the paddy produced on the 4.59 acres of land we own,” Tirkey, from Sahilong village of Karra block in Khunti district, tells 101Reporters.“Last year, we got a good yield. But we could not sow paddy this time due to insufficient rains and lack of alternative irrigation sources. We rely entirely on monsoon rains to sow the crop. When this is the situation, how is farming possible?”With the financial burden rising, Tirkey and several other youth are forced to migrate. “Our parents can rear livestock, but we have to do something else,” he says nonchalantly. According to the government data, no paddy cultivation has taken place in nearly 95% of Khunti district’s farmlands this year. And things are no different in other parts of Jharkhand. Speaking at the Niti Aayog governing council meeting on August 7 in New Delhi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren informed that barely 20% of farmlands in the state have seen paddy cultivation till date. The poor monsoon is even pushing the state towards a drought-like situation.“Last year, I cultivated nearly 1.6 tonnes of paddy, and that too by July. Now it is already August-end, yet sowing has not begun,” Dulari Dungdung (57) from Simdega district’s Basar Toli village echoes similar sentiments.She says farming is mostly done by women. “We manage the fields and run families. This is the case in most villages here. Men usually while away their time consuming alcohol. Whether they are at home or have migrated for work, it is only women who are responsible for farming,” rues Dungdung.She says women will now have to look at alternatives such as daily-wage labour. A geographical issueFarmers in Jharkhand mostly follow monocropping, with the state’s topography being the main reason for it. Due to its plateau-dominated land features, fields are divided into three types. Type 1 is lowland fields, and types 2 and 3 are fields on a higher elevation. Most agricultural lands in the state fall under types 2 and 3.According to State Agriculture Department, irrigation facilities are possible only on 20% of Jharkhand’s cultivable lands. The rest is completely dependent on monsoon rains, which means farmers can only cultivate kharif (June-October) crops.The state government had set a kharif target of 28.27 lakh hectare, out of which 18 lakh hectare would be paddy. Maize, pulses, oilseeds and millets would cover the rest of the area.Jharkhand is witnessing migration as the main crop — paddy fails due to poor rains and climate change (Photo: Md Asghar Khan)However, the target could only be achieved if Jharkhand received sufficient rains. As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in Ranchi, Jharkhand received just 53% of its normal rain during the monsoon season from June 1 to August 10. Normally, the state should have received 508.2mm of rainfall in June-July season.“Here, cultivation happens only in the kharif season. It takes a lot of persuasion from our side to get them grow at least vegetables in the rabi season,” says Dr Rajan Chaudhary, a scientist at the Agricultural Meteorology Department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khunti.Painting a bleak picture, Dr Chaudhary cites the case of Khunti district. “Paddy sowing was done only in 5% of the fields by July-end this year as against last year’s 98%.” Seeking paddy varietiesAccording to scientists, paddy varieties range from those that are sown in shallow waters to those that can withstand drought-like conditions. In Jharkhand, 80% of agricultural lands fall under types 2 and 3, where rainwater does not get collected.To address this issue, the Agriculture Department suggests the use of Sahbhaagi, DRT-1 (also known as IR-64) and Swarn Shreya varieties. Experts say these varieties provide good yield even in areas with drought-like conditions. They do not require standing water for growth and can withstand drought as well, Chaudhary explains. As a result, more and more farmers are cultivating these varieties in the last three years.However, these varieties are not foolproof. Raju Sahu (41), a farmer from Ranchi district’s Bodia village, has been using the IR-64 paddy. “There should at least be enough water on the field to sow paddy. Last year, I got a good yield of around 2.4 tonnes. This year, it seems I will have to purchase rice for the household,” he tells 101Reporters.He sows paddy in his one acre field, and grows vegetables in the remaining 60 decimal to feed a family of five. His wife sells the vegetables in Ranchi local mandi to meet the expenses.The Jharkhand government has banned sowing of Rajendra Mansoori and MTU-7029 varieties this year. “Both varieties can be harvested only after almost 150 days, which make them water intensive as well. If sowed in July, the crop will be ready in December. But the temperature drop during this cycle will hamper the ripening process," explains Dr Ekhlaque Ahmed, Junior Scientist and Assistant Professor, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi.On the other hand, the varieties that are ready within 120 days are thermo-sensitive and can survive the temperature drop, he adds.Climate change plays spoilsportHow did a state that received excess rainfall over the last two years and bumper paddy harvest, suddenly fall into the clutches of drought? Experts pin the blame on climate change. IMD Ranchi Director Abhishek Anand says that conditions in the neighbourhood have been different this monsoon.“Due to climate change, the pressure in the north Bay of Bengal region is quite low this year. This has resulted in low rainfall in Bihar and Jharkhand. The data from the last decade suggest that this year Jharkhand witnessed the lowest rainfall in July.” Even the summers were extreme this time. For the first time in 23 years, the state capital Ranchi did not receive any rainfall in April.Edited by Sharad AkavoorThe cover image has been sourced via Flickr under the creative commons license, captured by Kannan Muthuraman.

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Poor monsoon sows seeds of distress, migration in Jharkhand

 06 Aug, 2022

In tribal Jharkhand, people lay claim to their forest rights — one way or another

With forest rights being a sensitive subject in the state, signboards are now becoming a novel way for tribal communities to claim what they are due.Ranchi: “In the three villages where signboards have come up, villagers possess community rights to 1,100 acres of land under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. There’s now a plan to set up signboards in other villages in Garhwa district. With these signboards, the gram sabha will ensure the management, protection and conservation of that forestland,” says social worker Sunil Minj.With his statement, Minj explains how tribal communities in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district — yet to get their claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) — are asserting their right to forestlands; they are now setting up signages.The first boards were set up in February in three villages of Bargad block: Baadikhajuri, Kaalakhajuri and Gothani. Villagers, who held detailed discussions on the matter, assert that their campaign is constitutional, and they have legal rights under the FRA, which they emphasise on the boards.Speaking to 101Reporters, Amos Minj, the sarpanch of Gothani village, recalls, “It was on December 15, 2018, that we submitted a claim to community rights for 117 acres of forestland. Till date, we have not received the land rights certificate. Thus, utilising the authority that gram sabhas are granted under the FRA, we set up these signboards in Gothani.” Jay Prakash Minj, the central president of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Mahasabha, echoes Amos’ sentiments.“People in our village have been fighting for forest rights over the past 25 years. Claims to community rights were submitted years ago, but the administration’s negligence has stalled the process. The gram sabha was forced to install signages to claim their rights to the forestland. Boards are erected only on those lands for which we had made claims earlier," says Minj, whose organisation has been dealing with issues related to the FRA since 2017.What the boards conveyThe signboards declare that the panchayat mentioned falls under the FRA, and that traditional dwellers have the community rights to the area. They also assert that without the permission of the gram sabha concerned, any deforestation, smuggling of forest resources or harm to the local biodiversity would be dealt with legally.According to villagers, the administration has sought to halt the campaign, assuring the protestors that land rights certificates would be distributed within two months. This assurance was given back in February; five months on, there appears to be no progress in this regard. However, officials contradict the villagers’ claims. Ramnarayan Singh, the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Ranka in Garhwa district, says he never promised they would hand over land rights certificates in two months."Yes, I had guaranteed a discussion on the issue, but it could not happen due to the panchayat elections here," he explains. "The issue will be taken up by the deputy commissioner, and a decision will soon be made on land rights certificates.” Why land rights certificates matterTo understand the significance of forestland rights, it is important to look into some key numbers. As per a 2019 survey conducted by Jharkhand Van Adhikar Manch and the Indian School of Business, 14,850 of the 32,112 villages in Jharkhand fall under forest areas. Forest villages cover over 73.9 lakh hectares, with a population of around 2.5 crores. Of this, 18.82 lakh hectares can be claimed under the FRA for community and personal rights.Forest dwellers of Garhwal district, Jharkhand assert right to lands under Forest Rights Act(2006)The three districts of Palamu division — Garhwa, Palamu and Latehar — have 3,492 villages, of which 2,009 fall under forest areas. In this region, claims to around 4.6 lakh hectares can be made under the FRA.Organisations like the Jharkhand Jungle Bachao Andolan say that at least 75 lakh people depend on forests in the state, as a result of which it is imperative that land rights certificates be handed over to them.Dilly-dallying by officialsLooking at the official numbers for recipients eligible for forestland rights in Jharkhand, one can get an idea of the administrative lethargy over the issue.As per a report available on the website of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, till March 31, 2022, the Jharkhand government distributed land rights certificates only for 2.5 lakh acres of forestland; it received over 1.1 lakh claim forms, of which certificates were for 61,970 claims.Moreover, the issue of forest rights has always been a political hot potato in the state. Interestingly, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which currently heads the state government, was vocal on the subject when it was in the opposition in the state assembly. Ahead of the 2019 elections, the JMM had made assurances over land rights certificates to tribal and other forest-dwelling communities. The then opposition had also promised to make the filing of claims and receiving these certificates more convenient. ‘How many have received land rights?’Mithilesh Kumar, who works for the Jharkhand Van Adhikar Manch in Palamu block, tells 101Reporters, “Community land rights are not being given, nor is the government showing any will to do so. Implementation of the FRA, too, is lacking. If all of this had happened, we’d not have seen villagers setting up these signboards.”“The FRA was implemented in 2008 in Jharkhand; we are now in 2022. How many have received their land rights certificates till date?”“Tribal communities have had a stake in the forests since time immemorial, but the government is reluctant to accept the fact.”“They want to give the land to corporates and are doing so, as well,” Kumar adds.According to several volunteers with the Jharkhand Van Adhikar Manch, the administration is associating the signboard campaign with the Pathalgadi movement, a resistance campaign by the tribal communities in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, which they believe is an attempt to suppress the drive.“It is not illegal to set up signboards in the forests. It is, in fact, permissible under sections 3 and 5 of the FRA,” stresses Mithilesh Kumar of the organisation.When 101Reporters enquired about these claims, Ranka SDO Ramnarayan Singh responds, “We do not see anything unconstitutional in the campaign, so far. I cannot comment on whether we will try to stop it in the future.”Meanwhile, Kumar alleges that the forest department has been harassing villagers over land rights.“The forest department is digging trenches on community forestlands, to which villagers have legal rights. They plant trees in these trenches that, in a way, mark the limits of the forestland on which villagers can stake their claim,” he explains. “If villagers cross these boundaries to fetch firewood or beedi leaves, the forest department files a case against them.”According to Land Conflict Watch, an organisation that maintains a database on land conflicts in India, there has been an increase in the number of new conflicts since June, with their database currently tracking 621 ongoing disputes.Incidentally, on June 28, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had notified the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022, under the Forest Conservation Act, which replaced the earlier rules notified in 2003. Under the new rules, any “diversion, assignment of lease or de-reservation” (use of forest land for non-forest purposes) after receiving ‘final’ approval from the central government under section 2 of the act, can take place after the state or union territory issues an order following “fulfilment and compliance of the provisions of all other acts and rules made thereunder”. These include the settlement of rights under the FRA, 2006.However, the updated rules may prove to be more of a bane than a boon, according to Satyam Shrivastava, a member of the committee set up by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on habitat rights and community forest rights.“The FRA, 2006, was formulated to ensure that forest-dwelling communities serve as an interface between the government and the forestland. Their decision-making rights and consent to carry out a non-forestland diversion was acknowledged as crucial for forest conservation and governance,” he explains.“The colonial legacy of diverting forestlands didn’t recognise the say of such communities that resided in and conserved forests through generations. Then came the FRA in 2006, to democratise the process, which empowered gram sabhas as statutory authorities to manage and conserve forests. The act mandates the recognition of community rights by law and their consent before the undertaking of any non-forest diversion of a forested area.”Shrivastava cites a July 2009 forest ministry circular, which mandated that land diversion for non-forest purposes can only be undertaken following a resolution by the gram sabha. It must acknowledge that the FRA has been implemented in the region, granting the applicable rights to the community, before granting the in-principle clearance.“Ultimately, land conflicts will rise further if consent from gram sabhas is not sought at the primary stage,” he warns.This article is a part of a 101Reporters' series on The Promise Of Commons. In this series, we will explore how judicious management of shared public resources can help the ecosystem as well as the communities inhabiting it.Edited by Sharad AkavoorAll photos: Md. Asghar Khan

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In tribal Jharkhand, people lay claim to their forest rights — one way or another

 24 Mar, 2022

In Jharkhand, tribal farmers fail to receive benefits of PM Kisan scheme

Organic pesticide spraying in a tomato farm in Getalsud, Ranchi (Photo Credits - Rupesh Sahu)Already burdened by agricultural woes brought on by excessive, unseasonal rainfall, they are also deprived of government funds due to red tape, bureaucratic technicalities, fear and mutual distrust.Ranchi: Lack of irrigation facilities has always been a disadvantage faced by farmers in Jharkhand, who primarily depend on wells and rainwater. However, unseasonal rains in October and November 2021, in addition to cyclonic storms and the silent but steady onslaught of climate change, further aggravated their woes. Dinesh Kerketta is one such farmer whose paddy crop bore the brunt of these extreme weather conditions. Kerketta, from Tilaksutti village, Kulli panchayat of Itki block (30 km from state capital Ranchi), told 101Reporters: "The paddy stored in the barn was beginning to spoil due to the rains from November to December. I had to sell the crop in a hurry because of its perishability. So I could not find the right price to make it profitable, and we only made Rs 27,000."On seeking government assistance, he shared: "I had applied online for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana scheme three times; first in 2020 and the last time around six months ago. However, till date, we have not received even a single penny. Had that money been granted, it would have helped us procure fertilisers. Farming is the only hope of the people of our village, but we have no assistance from the government."Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 2,000 is given in three instalments every four months (April-July, August-November and December-March) to small and marginal farmers in the country—that is Rs 6,000 annually. This amount is transferred directly into the farmer's bank account. According to the central government website on the scheme, from December 1, 2018, till date, nine such instalments had been granted. The 10th instalment, amounting to Rs 20,000 crore for over 10 crore registered beneficiaries, was released on January 1, 2022. However, the ground reality is far from what is projected on paper. Though Kerketta and his family's livelihood depends on their eight acres of land, they are yet to receive any funds from the scheme. He said that among his acquaintances in the village, Falinder Kachhap (40; owns 1 acre) and Joseph Lakra (28; owns 4 acres) had also applied for assistance, but had been deprived of any benefits so far. Tribal farmers from Latehar,  Khunti and other districts in Jharkhand have similar complaints.Are the purported benefits of the PM Kisan scheme reaching Jharkhand's tribal farmers?Not according to these statistics. In terms of tribal population, Jharkhand ranks fifth among the 10 states with Fifth Schedule Areas covered under the PESA Act—The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. The Act aims to ensure self-governance through gram sabhas in tribal areas categorised as Scheduled Areas.However, the number of farmers taking advantage of this scheme is paltry. Jharkhand lagged behind other PESA states in receiving the last two instalments in 2021-22. Of the 30,97,520 registered farmers of Jharkhand, only 17,81,287 (April-July) and 18,04,519 (Aug-Nov) received the benefits. In both these instalments, a feeble 58% farmers in Jharkhand received their payments. In the same time frame, other states show glaring differences in the percentage of beneficiaries that received their payments in April-July and August-November. Jharkhand's payment percentage saw no change even in the 10th instalment released on January 1. With the last instalment of the year till February 5, the beneficiary tally remains skewed.PM Kisan scheme recipients in states with sizeable tribal populations. Beneficiaries in Jharkhand have repetitively received lesser aid.The PM Kisan scheme website no longer contains caste-wise data on farmers receiving grants from the government. According to the figures collected up to seven instalments in April-May 2021 from the state agriculture department, the percentage of tribal farmers in Jharkhand who received the aid stood at an abysmal 13%. On the contrary, tribal farmers in the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa received 30% and 29% of the aid, respectively—more than twice that of Jharkhand.Drop in recipient numbers for varied reasonsWhen questioned why a number of tribal beneficiaries was this frightful in Jharkhand, Praful Linda, Vice President of the Jharkhand State Kisan Sabha, told 101Reporters: "There are numerous reasons for this. Many tribal farmers are beneficiaries of the Forest Rights Act in the state. However, they cannot apply for the PM Kisan Yojana when they don't obtain a forest lease. Secondly, this central government scheme came a year after the previous government had started the land bank scheme in Jharkhand and tried to amend the CNT and SPT Acts. Due to this, tribal farmers feared that the government would confiscate their land on the pretext of giving Rs 6,000 under the PM Kisan Yojana scheme."Regarding the proposed amendments to the CNT and SPT Acts (Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act 1908, Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act 1949), 71-year-old senior advocate and an expert in Jharkhand's land laws, Rashmi Katyayan, explained: "Both Acts are meant for the tribal-indigenous people of Jharkhand. They give them equal judicial rights to land. In 2016, the Raghubar Das government of the BJP wanted to amend Section 21 of the CNT Act and Section 13 of the SPT Act, which would have destroyed the fundamental spirit of the law. The amendments would have opened doors to the corporate sector." Tribal-indigenous people across the state had protested for almost a year against these proposed amendments. As a result, the then BJP government had to retreat in 2017.In 2016, former chief minister Raghubar Das launched the Jharkhand Land Bank scheme. At the time, tribal organisations alleged that the government had unconstitutionally included the community land of tribals in the land bank. An opposition member back then, Hemant Soren had assured them that he would scrap the scheme after coming to power. However, Soren is the current chief minister of Jharkhand, and no such changes have materialised—a matter that's not gone unnoticed. Apart from enumerating the shortcomings of the previous government, Linda also berated the current Congress-JMM coalition in power in Jharkhand. "In two years, Soren could neither provide a forest lease nor remove the fear from the minds of the tribals," he said. "The government had promised to return the tribals their rights over water, forest and land resources, but it does not seem to be making any consolidated effort."A number of NGOs believe that 70% to 80% of the state's tribal population lives in forests and are engaged in agriculture. According to a report, 77 lakh voters in Jharkhand are eligible for a forest lease under the Forest Rights Act. However, according to government data, less than one lakh voters received it. Among forest leaseholders, Chhattisgarh (4.5 lakh) and Orissa (4.5 lakh) fare far better than Jharkhand.      The Agriculture Department of Jharkhand said that vanpatta (forest lease) holders also fall under the category of beneficiaries of the PM Kisan Yojana. Officially, there are 58 lakh farmers under the Birsa Kisan Yojana, of which 39 lakh are tribal farmers, according to the Jharkhand State Kisan Sabha. Government figures reveal that 76% of the three-and-a-half crore people in Jharkhand live in villages, while 66% are associated with agricultural work. A farmer works the field in a small village in Raidih, Gumla (Picture credit - Rupesh Sahu)Bleak promises to counter blatant imbalanceThe farmers' complaints and statistics make two facts apparent. Firstly, among the number of beneficiary farmers registered under the PM Kisan scheme from Jharkhand, the number of tribal farmers is markedly less. Secondly, even those registered don't receive the promised amount promptly. The Agriculture Department has already expressed concern over the declining number of tribals in these figures. After review, they said they had discussed every possible effort to increase the proportion of tribal farmers in the schemes. Their efforts notwithstanding, the numbers are still on a downward spiral. Secretary of the Agriculture Department of Jharkhand Abu Bakar Siddique said: "To increase the percentage of tribal farmer-beneficiaries of the scheme, the department is continuously promoting it. We have written to all district collectors to conduct a special campaign. Whenever farmers register themselves to avail this scheme, the numbers are immediately forwarded to the Government of India. However, we are unaware of how many beneficiaries receive the money."Siddiqui also stressed that there would be a "thorough investigation on why the number of recipients of funds in Jharkhand was so low last year". "This will also be discussed with the Government of India. Efforts will be made to find out why the farmers are being left out," he concluded.

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In Jharkhand, tribal farmers fail to receive benefits of PM Kisan scheme

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