PANJIM: The United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) on Tuesday requested the State government to expedite the process of granting forest rights to the tribals and also expedite the 10,000 cases of forest rights pending before the committee.
With the recent political turmoil in the State wherein, eight former Congress MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the UTAA has requested the government to let the Tribal Welfare Minister Govind Gaude retain his place in the cabinet since he is the lone minister belonging to Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities.
UTTA president Prakash Velip said that of the 12 demands, grant of forest rights was a major demand of the UTTA. He demanded that the people belonging to ST communities should not be harassed till their cases are settled by the government.
Meanwhile, the UTTA will felicitate 171 meritorious class X and XII students belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities from Tiswadi taluka at a function to be held at the Institute Menezes Braganza hall, Panjim at 3 pm on September 24. So far, the United Tribal Association Alliance has felicitated meritorious students from Sanguem, Dharbandora, Canacona and Ponda talukas.
Velip also demanded that the State government should reserve seats for ST community students seeking admission for post-graduate courses in professional colleges.
