Lok Sabha Election 2024: Congress announces 'Adivasi Nyay Guarantee'

Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Congress released Adivasi Sankalp

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on March 12 announced that his party has introduced the ‘Adivasi Nyay Guarantee’ in Nandurbar, Maharashtra, emphasising that tribals are facing displacement from forests and justice must be served.

He outlined six commitments under the Adivasi Nyay Guarantee -- Sushasan, Sudhaar, Suraksha, Svashasan, Svabhimaan, and a Sub Plan -- for the welfare of Adivasi communities. The party has proposed the establishment of a national mission dedicated to the effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), supported by a separate budget and action plans.

“We pledge to settle all pending FRA claims within one year and establish a process to review all rejected claims within six months,” said Kharge. "If Congress returns to power, it vows to revoke all amendments to the Forest Conservation and Land Acquisition Acts made by the Modi Government, which have severely affected Adivasis."

Kharge also mentioned that Congress is committed to designating all habitations or groups where Scheduled Tribe members constitute the largest social group as Scheduled Areas across all Indian States and Union Territories.

The Congress president also announced that his party will enact state laws in line with the central panchayat extension to Scheduled Areas Act (PESA) to establish village governments and Autonomous District Governments as envisaged in PESA.

Additionally, the Congress party’s proposed Right to Minimum Support Price (MSP) legislation will extend legal protection to Minor Forest Produce (MFP).

Congress highlighted that the special component plan for Scheduled Castes and the Tribal Sub Plan, introduced by Indira Gandhi in the late 1970s to ensure equitable budgetary resources for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, was abolished by the Modi Government in 2014.