FRA, PESA and Gram Sabha — Sustainable Peace in LWE Zones | District Mineral Foundation Tribal Welfare UPSC MCQ

Consider the following statements regarding the measures for sustainable peace in erstwhile Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected zones in India:
1. The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996 are considered important instruments to prevent resurgence of Maoist ideology.
2. Empowering the Gram Sabha over 'Jal, Jangal, Zameen' is described as a potent antidote to Maoist ideology.
3. The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds are mandated to be spent on the welfare of the central government, not directly on tribal families.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: 1 and 2 only

Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect — DMF funds are mandated to be spent transparently on the direct welfare of the affected tribal families, not on the central government.

Statement-wise Analysis

• Statement 1 — Correct: To prevent resurgence of Maoist grievances, the state must ensure strict enforcement of both:
  - Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006: Grants rights to tribal communities and forest dwellers over forest land and resources.
  - PESA Act, 1996 (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas): Extends Panchayati Raj to tribal (Scheduled) areas, giving Gram Sabhas special powers over local resources and governance.
• Statement 2 — Correct: Empowering the Gram Sabha over 'Jal (Water), Jangal (Forest), Zameen (Land)' is described as the most potent antidote to Maoist ideology, as it directly addresses the core grievances of tribal communities — displacement and denial of rights over natural resources.
• Statement 3 — Incorrect: The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds must be spent transparently on the direct welfare of the affected tribal families in mineral-rich areas. This is described as 'non-negotiable' in India's tribal-first development model for erstwhile LWE zones.

'Police-Station-as-a-Growth-Center' Model

One key sustainable peace measure involves transforming local police stations into facilitators for grievance redressal and welfare delivery, not merely enforcement units. Civic Action Programmes (CAP) are to be institutionalized into permanent community-police partnerships.

Tribal-Sensitive Development

As mining and industrial projects surge in mineral-rich former Red Zones, a 'Tribal-First' development model is essential to ensure that tribal communities are direct beneficiaries, not displaced victims.