Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options

persons affected by such projects in the Scheduled Areas; the actual
planning and implementation of the projects in the Scheduled Areas
shall be coordinated at the State level.
Both the Fifth Schedule and the Provisions of the Panchayats
Extension Act, 1996, are important for the indigenous and tribal
people pertaining to their rights in Scheduled Areas. The Fifth
Schedule stresses both the governance and the rights of the tribal
people to their land. whereas the Provisions of the Panchayats of the
Central Government emphasises the assertion of village community
i.e., Gram Sabha. The Fifth Schedule empowers the President and
the Governors to take care of the governance of the respective State
wherever indigenous/tribal people reside in good number across the
country, whereas the Panchayats Extension Act empowers the Gram
Sabhas to take their own decision pertaining the developmental plans.
The Fifth Schedule protects the rights of the indigenous and tribal
people, whereas the Provisions of Panchayats Act promote the Gram
Sabhas to act and assert the rights of the tribal and indigenous people
with the "village community" as its unit. Members of the Tribes
Advisory Council according to the Fifth Schedule have a duty to
extend advice to the Governor on matters pertaining to the welfare
and advancement of the scheduled Tribes in the State. Every Gram
Sabha consisting of persons whose names are included in the
electoral rolls for the Panchayats at the village level shall be
competent to safeguard and preserve the traditions and customs of
the people, their cultural identity, community resources and the
customary mode of dispute resolution.
It is necessary to discuss these Constitutional Provisions because
firstly, the present government has recently initiated a process
keeping Adivasi communities in the dark to bring about an
amendment to the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India, and
secondly, because indigenous/tribal peoples have faced atrocities,
witnessed brutality and experienced killings in the hands of police in
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