V. Kishore Chandra Deo, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs & Panchayati Raj launched the “Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme” of National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) for economic upliftment of Schedule Tribe forest dwellershere today. On the occasion, a Radio Partnership MoU was also signed between NSTFDC and All India Radio (AIR) for coverage of Scheduled Tribes related schemes. In his speech, Shri Kishore Chandra Deo said that this is a significant scheme for economic development of Scheduled tribes. He said the Forest Rights act recognized and regularized the preexisting rights of ST forest dwellers and under this scheme, financial assistance will be provided them at concessional rate for their empowerment. He also said that the MoU between NSTFDC and AIR will help to impart information about Scheduled Tribes related schemes.
The Government enacted a Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Under this act, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional forest Dwellers have been given the right to hold the forest land for habitation or for self-cultivation or for carrying out any other traditional activity for their livelihood. Most of the Scheduled Tribes are poor and need financial support for productive utilization of land for their livelihood.
In order to provide concessional finance to the Forest Dwelling STs, the NSTFDC has formulated the new Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme. NSTFDC would generate awareness, provide training and assist in market linkage apart from providing financial assistance at concessional rate of interest of 6% p.a. to the beneficiaries. This assistance would be made available through 33 State Channelizing Agencies of NSTFDC and certain PSU Banks/ Regional Rural Banks having refinance agreements with NSTFDC.
The Radio Partnership MoU between NSTFDC and AIR will cover events organized by NSTFDC for socio economic empowerment of STs. The broadcast can be in 23 languages and 146dialects throughout the country. The coverage will be in the form of Radio Report with in-house/news reel programmes. As AIR is having foot print over the entire country and is covering more than 99% of population, this partnership will facilitate creation of larger awareness about programmes of NSTFDC throughout the country.
Smt. Ranee Narah, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs. Smt. Vibha Puri Das, Secretary of the Ministry, Shri Gur Saroop Sood, CMD, NSTFDC, Shri L. M. Mandloi, DG General, AIR and Dr. Sadhana Rout, JS of the Ministry were also present on the occasion.
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