Gadchiroli Aug. 18 (District Correspondent) Gram Sabhas, Associates, Centre Coordinators, who have done excellent work under the Gram Sabha Empowerment through Ekal Public Participation Programme, which is being taken up in association with the District Administration and Gondwana University, were felicitated by the Gadchiroli District Administration at the Collectorate here the other day.
Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha MP Dr. Namdevrao Kirsan, MLA Dr. Devrao Holi, District Collector Sanjay Daine, Superintendent of Police Nilotpal were especially present.
A financial assistance of Rs. 1.17 crores was distributed as working capital to the 13 Gram Sabhas under Manav Vikas Mission Program 2022-23 for the construction of godowns.
Gadchiroli district is known to be the first to receive collective forest rights and the most forested district in the whole of India. Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Forest Rights Act 2006 Rules 2008 as amended Rules 2012, a total of 1109 Gram Sabhas in the district have collective forest rights claims.
In accordance with the said Act, a Collective Forest Rights Management Committee has been established to look after the affairs of the collective forest rights sector. Under Gram Sabha empowerment various activities like forest protection, conservation and management in the area of collective forest rights are taken up.
On behalf of Gondwana University, Gadchiroli and district administration office bearers of gram sabhas and mentors who have done excellent work were felicitated.
Collector Sanjay Daine congratulated the gram sabhas and associates for their excellent work and wished them all the best for their future work. On this occasion Chetna Latkar, Nodal Officer of Ekal, Agriculture expert Mangesh Bhanarkar, coordinator of the program Dr. Naresh Madavi, co-coordinator Dr. Nandkishore Mane, Ekal Center Coordinator Chandrakant Kichak, Suraj Chaudhari and Nilesh Desai were present.
