Bid to rehabilitate Bastar's tribal families stuck at survey stage

New Delhi: An attempt to trace and rehabilitate 5,000 tribal families who fled Naxal-dominated Bastar to adjoining states, especially Telangana, has been stuck due to multi-state apathy. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have failed to meet the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe deadline to share reports on the displaced tribals.

NCST had directed the Chhattisgarh to conduct a survey on “rehabilitation and re-settlement of about 5000 tribal families of Bastar region residing in adjoining states due to left wing extremism,” according to an official correspondence ET has reviewed.

The state would receive funds under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to resettle displaced tribals. At the NCST meeting, attended by representatives of Chhattisgarh government and the Union tribal ministry, the Bhupesh Baghel government was asked to complete the survey of tribal families of Bastar in three months but the state has failed to comply with it.

The nine Maoist corridor states too failed to send reports on Bastar tribals despite three reminders since July 3, the Union home ministry said in its correspondence last month.