Madhya Pradesh PESA: Gram Sabha Resource Management and Tribal Empowerment on 15 November

The news

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on 14 November 2026 that the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) has strengthened the role of villagers in managing water, forests and land resources. In a message issued on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, observed on 15 November, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the Chief Minister said Gram Sabhas in scheduled areas have been given the authority to manage local resources and take related decisions, making tribal communities self-reliant and empowered.

The Chief Minister said the state government's welfare policies are rapidly changing the picture of tribal society in Madhya Pradesh, which has the largest tribal population of any state in the country. He added that the state's complete development cannot be imagined without the social and economic empowerment of tribal communities. The Chief Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to observe 15 November as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas was historic, and Madhya Pradesh has been a witness and flag-bearer of this initiative.

The government is focusing on employment, education and health. The Bhagwan Birsa Munda Self-Employment Scheme and Tantya Mama Economic Welfare Scheme provide training and financial assistance to tribal youth. Eklavya Model Residential Schools are being set up to ensure quality education in tribal areas. A special campaign has been launched to eliminate sickle cell anaemia, under which lakhs of tribal citizens have been screened and treated. The state government is also building memorials and museums to preserve the history of tribal heroes including Tantya Bhil, Bhima Nayak, Raja Shankar Shah, Kunwar Raghunath Shah and Rani Durgavati.

What is the legal basis of PESA and when was it enacted?

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, or PESA, was enacted by Parliament to extend Part IX of the Constitution, which deals with Panchayats, to the Fifth Schedule areas. The Fifth Schedule itself is a provision under Article 244(1) of the Constitution for the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in states other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Bhuria Committee, constituted in 1994, had recommended a constitutional framework for self-governance in tribal areas, which shaped the PESA legislation. The Act came into force on 24 December 1996 and mandates that state legislatures enact laws conferring powers on Gram Sabhas to safeguard traditions, manage natural resources and resolve disputes.

What does PESA give to Gram Sabhas?

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 extends provisions of the Panchayati Raj system to Scheduled Areas. Gram Sabhas are central to this framework and have specified powers concerning water, forests and land. The governance framework concerns community institutions and their decision-making role, rather than granting individual ownership of forest land to every resident.

What are the schemes and health measures for tribal communities?

The Bhagwan Birsa Munda Self-Employment Scheme and Tantya Mama Economic Welfare Scheme combine training with financial assistance for tribal youth. Eklavya Model Residential Schools aim to improve access to quality education in tribal areas. On health, the state has run a special campaign to eliminate sickle cell anaemia, an inherited blood disorder common among tribal populations, screening and treating lakhs of citizens.

How is tribal history being preserved?

The state government is constructing memorials and museums to honour tribal heroes such as Tantya Bhil, Bhima Nayak, Raja Shankar Shah, Kunwar Raghunath Shah and Rani Durgavati. The Chief Minister described Birsa Munda not merely as a name but as an ideology, and said his Ulgulan (uprising) against colonial rule strengthened the foundation of India's freedom struggle.