K.C. Deo’s Stand on Forest Rights Act Casts More Shadows on Proposed NIB

Mr.Kishore Chandra Deo, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Minister for Panchayat Affairs, said that the draft note on NIB had not been sent to him.

Kishore Chandra Deo

He said that any projects which proposed on forest land must comply with the relevant provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). He has also said that no land within a Fifth Schedule area can be handed over to the developers of any project in contravention of the Panchayat (Extension to scheduled Areas) Act (PESA).

He has also categorically said that no infrastructure project has been delayed because of “interference” from his ministry and that he is duty-bound to object to any proposal if there are violations of FRA and/or PESA. Mr.Deo added that most delays in clearance of projects were because of the failure to comply with FRA and PESA.

Coming in the wake of Ms.Jayanthi Natarajan’s stand against the proposed NIB, Mr.Kishore Chandra Deo’s statement makes the going tougher for the proposal to set up NIB.

One wonders whether the purpose of the proposed NIB is merely to bulldoze the objections from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Tribal affairs, and Ministry of Panchayats and clear infra-structure projects regardless of the issues of environment and tribal welfare and regardless of the laws governing them.

If the idea behind setting up NIB is merely to hasten clearances because of tardy functioning of either of these ministries, not much can be said against NIB though the ministries can instead be taken to task and asked to spruce up their functioning; but, if the idea is  to render out-of-the-way help to corporate bodies in the name of economic reforms and clear proposals which would not otherwise pass muster, then a whole lot can be said against the proposed National Investment Board.

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