Odisha to Implement PESA Act: Minister Rabi Narayan Naik Confirms Cabinet Approval for Tribal Empowerment Rules

08 May 2026, 10:39 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Odisha’s government is finally wrapping up preparations to bring the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, to life. On Thursday, Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik said they’re ready to pitch the formal PESA Rules for approval in the next cabinet meeting. This move aims to operationalize a law that has been in force at the federal level for nearly 30 years but had not yet been fully executed in Odisha.

There’s been a lot of groundwork. The department talked things through with 41 government departments, tribal leaders, NGOs, and local residents. They even ran through a detailed presentation for the Tribal Advisory Committee. Odisha changed its Panchayati Raj laws just after 1996, but the specific “PESA Rules” never got finalized—mainly because they clashed with other land and forest laws. They only released a draft in 2023.

The implementation is set to have a massive demographic impact, directly benefiting the 22.8% of Odisha’s population that is tribal. The Act will cover 117 blocks and 2,022 gram panchayats across nine districts where tribal communities dominate. By joining other states like Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra in drafting these rules, Odisha hopes to really protect tribal people’s traditional rights over their water, forests, and land.

At its core, the PESA Act empowers Gram Sabhas (village councils) with significant authority over local governance, natural resources, and development planning. The government now has to consult and get consent from these councils before any land acquisition, rehabilitation, or displacement occurs in tribal regions. Gram Sabhas also get the authority to manage things like minor forest produce and keep their cultural identity intact. It’s a big shift; instead of everything being dictated from central offices, decisions move back to the hands of the communities themselves.