Jharkhand celebrates Cabinet nod to PESA rules

Traditional tribal heads and representatives of civil society from Scheduled Areas on Wednesday gathered at the Chief Minister’s residential office here to mark the State Cabinet’s approval of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Rules, describing the decision as a landmark step towards strengthening grassroots self-governance in tribal regions.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the approval of the PESA rules reflected the state’s commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of Jharkhand’s founders, movement leaders and tribal communities. He said the rules would reinforce traditional systems of self-governance and secure community rights over land, forests and natural resources in the Scheduled Areas of Jharkhand.

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The Chief Minister said PESA was not merely a statutory provision but was closely linked to the identity, culture and collective memory of tribal society. With the Cabinet clearing the rules, he said, the law was now ready for implementation at the village level. He underlined that the success of PESA would depend on sincere and transparent execution, particularly in empowering Gram Sabhas as decision-making bodies.

Noting that policy intent often weakened at the implementation stage, the Chief Minister stressed the need for strict adherence to the spirit of the rules. He said the devolution of powers to Panchayats and Gram Sabhas must translate into real authority on the ground for the legislation to deliver meaningful outcomes.

Referring to the state’s development trajectory, he said Jharkhand, which has completed 25 years of formation, was moving towards a phase of structural change. Strengthening the rural economy, safeguarding natural resources and ensuring social justice were identified as core priorities. He said initiatives aimed at employment generation, education and skill development for youth, including free coaching facilities for economically weaker tribal students preparing for medical and engineering examinations, were part of this broader approach.

The Chief Minister also referred to welfare schemes focused on women’s economic security and said the government was working on strategies to achieve sustainable growth despite limited resources. He said criticism was part of public life, but the government remained focused on ensuring that its programmes achieved their intended objectives.

Leaders of traditional tribal institutions from Gumla, Seraikela-Kharsawan and East Singhbhum districts welcomed the Cabinet decision, saying the PESA rules would give statutory backing to customary self-governance practices and restore long-pending rights of Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas. They said the move would strengthen local decision-making and ensure greater participation of tribal communities in governance.

Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, legislator Kalpana Soren, senior officials of the Panchayati Raj Department and PESA mobilisers were present at the programme.