Kejriwal promises implementation of PESA for tribals if AAP voted to power in Chhattisgarh
Kejriwal on Saturday said his party would implement the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act in tribal-dominated areas of Chhattisgarh if voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections. Addressing a rally in the Bastar district headquarter Jagdalpur, around 300 km from here, Kejriwal slammed the BJP, saying celebrations were underway at the saffron party's headquarters in Delhi when the sad news of the martyrdom of Army officers in Anantnag trickled in.
He also hit out at the BJP over the "India vs Bharat" debate and the 'one nation and one election' agenda.
«We guarantee that if AAP is elected to power in Chhattisgarh, PESA will be implemented within a month of the formation of the government in the interest of tribals and to protect their 'jal, jungle, and zameen' (land).
All rights will be given to the gram sabha,» the Delhi chief minister said.
PESA empowers Gram Sabhas to manage the affairs as per local traditions and customs. The Sabhas can approve plans, programmes and projects for social and economic development, and have the right to mandatory consultation in land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced persons.
The act also empowers Gram Sabha and Panchayat at the appropriate level to regulate the sale/consumption of intoxicants, ownership of minor forest produce and other affairs.
Kejriwal had last month released a 'guarantee card' in Raipur detailing nine promises and said the 10th guarantee is about farmers and tribals which he would reveal during his next visit.
At the beginning of Kejriwal's speech on Saturday, a two-minute silence was observed as tributes were paid to three Army personnel and a Jammu and Kashmir police officer who all were killed in the line of duty during an
