People can make informed choices

To make effective choices, people themselves be more aware and be educated. New acts are passed by the state government of Odisha to protect the rights of the tribal people. When the original PESA act does not ensure rights in an effective way, new additions have to be made.  ‘Odisha Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Rules 2013’ says that gram panchayat would function as an executive committee to ‘gram sabha’ With this new Act land acquisition officer would have to consult a panchayat while giving dimensions of a project planned. This would be the assessment of the impact on the area, the worth of the amount to be given as compensation, any job opportunities to be offered, and rehabilitation of displaced persons. So the Mining department has to consult the gram sabha for producing minerals to see if it has commercial feasibility after meeting their demands. Gram sabha would have power to supervise the new kind of agriculture offered to the tribal people, audit welfare schemes to see if they are helping the people economically, and see if public distribution schemes are run properly. Making more Acts will not change the fact that tribal population is unlettered and that they will not be able to understand what is good for them. Previous PESA Act had been made so that there is control of resources of the land by the people themselves. It had ensured control in granting licenses to mining companies. Efforts were made to control land acquisition and mining minerals. There were no strict rules on implementation of it. People are too poor and uneducated to make these informed choices, we must help these 'adi-vasis'.