In the areas covered under the Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, what is the role/power of Gram Sabha? 1. Gram Sabha has the power to prevent alienation of land in the Scheduled Areas. 2. Gram Sabha has the ownership of minor forest produce. 3. Recommendation of Gram Sabha is required for granting prospecting licence or mining lease for any mineral in the Scheduled Areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

QUESTION

Hard

Indian Polity

Prelims 2012

In the areas covered under the Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, what is the role/power of Gram Sabha?

Gram Sabha has the power to prevent alienation of land in the Scheduled Areas.
Gram Sabha has the ownership of minor forest produce.
Recommendation of Gram Sabha is required for granting prospecting licence or mining lease for any mineral in the Scheduled Areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

The Gram Sabha in the Panchayat Act was entrusted with wide-ranging powers starting from consultation on land acquisition to that of ownership over minor forest produces and leases minor minerals. Hence statement 2 is correct.

This particular act extends the provisions of Part IX to the Scheduled Areas of the country.
PESA brought powers further down to the Gram Sabha level.
PESA is a law enacted by the Government of India to cover the "Scheduled Areas", which are not covered in the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. Hence statement 1 is correct.
PESA became operative at a time when the Indian economy was opening up all its frontiers to foreign direct investment.
Recommendation of Gram Sabha or Panchayat at the appropriate level shall be mandatory for grant of prospecting license or mining lease for minor minerals, not all minerals in the scheduled area. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.