Government will not allow mining in tribal areas

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Centre would not give permission for mining activities in tribal areas in the country, Union Minister of Tribal Welfare and Panchayat Raj V Kishore Chandra Suryanarayana Deo said here today.

Addressing a press conference, he said the tribal lands cannot be converted into non-tribal activities and as of now, the government has not given permission for mining in tribal areas to any company in the country.

The Union Minister said that it is compulsory to conduct Gram Sabhas to pass any resolution to take up any work in tribal areas.

He also informed that the government is planning to make it mandatory for villages to conduct gram sabhas on four days in a year, of which two should be held on October 2 and January 26 and two other days in the year and these sabhas should be recorded on video.