Chief Minister Kamal Nath has reiterated the State Government's commitment to protecting the interests of tribals. He said that in the previous government, as many as over 3.5 lakh applications of tribal families for land titles were rejected. The State Government has ordered to reconsider all such applications.

Nath said this while holding discussions with a delegation of tribal families that met him today at Mantralaya led by the former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Tuesday. These tribal families belong to Budhni assembly constituency.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government has always pursued the policy of protecting the rights of the tribal people while ensuring their overall development. Nath informed that the Forest Rights Act 2006 was implemented by the then UPA Government. Under this, 6.25 lakh applications seeking recognition of forest dwelling rights in the previous government regime, out of which 3.55 lakh applications were cancelled.

The present government has started the process of revising these applications and started working on issuing a land ownership titles to the eligible families.

The Chief Minister informed that the rate of tendu leaf collection has been increased from Rs 2000 per standard bag to Rs 2500, thus ensuring them a profit of Rs 500 per bag. This amount was being given to the underprivileged tendu leaf collectors through the banks, which was troublesome for them. Now they will be paid in cash.

Nath said that the present government is committed to honouring tribal people by recognizing their conventional rights. Injustice to tribal families in any manner is not tolerable.