Which legislation empowers Gram Sabha in scheduled areas for the management of…
2022
Which legislation empowers Gram Sabha in scheduled areas for the management of natural resources?
- A.
Forest Rights Act
- B.
PESA
- C.
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act
- D.
None of these
Attempted by 6 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
The correct answer is PESA. The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) extends the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution to the Fifth Schedule (scheduled) areas with modifications. It empowers the Gram Sabha to manage community resources, including land, water and forests, and to safeguard tribal customs and natural resources. The Forest Rights Act focuses on recognising individual and community forest rights of forest dwellers, not on extending panchayat self-governance to scheduled areas.