The Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today urged the states and the Centre to work in cohesion to restore people's faith in the administration.

The Minister strongly advocated for revamping the administration and governance in tribal areas to ensure maximum benefits of the welfare programmes reach the tribal communities. Delivering Sardar Patel memorial Lecture in New Delhi today, organised by All India Radio, he said that Andhra Pradesh attempted this which yielded positive results but added that more needs to be done.

The Minister said, the recent decision of the Union Cabinet to enact a new law on the mines and minerals regulation and development will ensure that they are benefited. This law provides for giving royalty to these communities in their respective areas for minerals other than coal. In case of coal, 26 percent of profit will flow to them.

Mr. Ramesh called for an expanded role of elected local representatives in the development activities in Naxal affected areas.

60 districts have been identified as affected by the Naxal violence. Special programme has been launched for development of these areas. He said that the PMGSY is an important intervention to ensure speedy settlement of land related disputes in these areas and called for documenting the land records to restore land to their owners.

Recalling the contribution of Sardar Patel in nation building,Mr. Ramesh made a strong plea to address the development concerns of the disadvantaged sections in the areas hit by Left Wing violence.