This presentation tells about the forest rights acts and highlights the issues in it's implementation, Aid for change work address the underlying issues and its impact on the community

1. Forest Rights Act 2006

2. Forest landscapes cover over 23% of the
country.
Source : Citizens’ report 2013 on Community Forest Rights
under Forest Rights Act

3. Around 200 Million i.e. 20% of population
live in and near India's forest lands.
Source : Citizens’ report 2013 on Community Forest Rights
under Forest Rights Act

4. BUT

5. They had no legal right to their homes, lands
or livelihoods.

6. Result?

7. Both forests and people were suffering.

8. In 2006, “Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act
was passed which granted legal recognition to
the rights of traditional forest dwelling
communities.

9. It entitles :
•Individuals & Families or communities to
a right over their own land, and
importantly,
•Empowers the Gram-sabha, or village
assembly, with initiating the process of
recognition.

10. •Land rights
•Use rights
•Right to Protect and Conserve
What Kind of Rights ?

11. Till Sept 2013, the government had received
around 3.3 million claims, but only 40 % had
resulted in land titles.
Source : Ministry of Tribal Affairs (2013), Status report on implementation of the Scheduled
Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006

12. Community forest rights (CFR) constituted
just two per cent (approx.) of all claims, and
only 29 % of such claims had resulted in
land titles.
Source : Ministry of Tribal Affairs (2013), Status report on implementation of the Scheduled
Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006

13. • Less awareness among government bureaucrats about the FRA has
resulted in poor implementation of its provisions.
• Participation at Gram Sabha level is poor.
• Recognition of rights of Other Traditional Forest Dwellers has been
grossly neglected in terms of their eligibility.
• Poor recognition of CFR rights and community rights
• There is no clear boundary of community rights area, where multiple
villages are dependent on the same forest.
Issues in the Implementation
Source : Report on REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON IMPLEMENATTION OF FOREST RIGHTS ACT: 'Issues in
implementation of community rights with focus on management and governance of CFR‘ 23rd_24th
September 2013, BHUBANESW AR, ODISHA

14. • Right holders and the Gram Sabhas are not empowered enough to
protect wildlife, forest and biodiversity, and to regulate access to their
forest areas.
• Large scale intereference by the Forest Department in the rights
recognition process.
• Issues relating to preparation of conservation and management plans.
Issues in the Implementation
Source : Report on REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON IMPLEMENATTION OF FOREST RIGHTS ACT: 'Issues in
implementation of community rights with focus on management and governance of CFR‘ 23rd_24th
September 2013, BHUBANESW AR, ODISHA

15. Our Work

16. Our
Work
Land resource mapping
Workshop for leaders of
Gram sabhas and FWC*
committees on NREGA!,
FRA#, PESA$, Biodiversity
the different government
programmes, gender
concepts and institution
building
Capacity building of all
eligible communities and
helping them in claiming
for their rights.
Advocacy on FRA through
participation in State and
National level networks,
meetings with government
officials, consultation
Promoting meetings of
FMC& and NTFP@
cultivator groups
Facilitating public Hearing
on NREGS, FRA and other
issues.
Enabling inclusion of
women in decision making
processes for
management of forests
and other natural
resources.
& Forest Management Committee
# Forest Rights Act
*Forest Wild Life Management Committee
! National Rural Employment
@ Non Timber Forest Produce
$ Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas

17. 2013 Highlights

18. 18725 tribal people benefitted from our work.

19. 1,430 tribal men and women from across three states
have received individual land titles under FRA.

20. The gram sabha of Panchgaon village earned Rs. 148000/- by
selling Bamboo from the village forest for which the CFR has
been granted.

21. 13,400 hectares has been awarded
as management rights
1,700 hectares has been restricted
to nistar* and maintenance.
23 CFR claims have been awarded
in Madhya Pradesh covering
15,100 hectares
* ‘Nistar’ means the concession granted for removal from forest coupes on payment at stipulated rates, specified forest produce for
bonafide domestic use, but not for barter or sale
42 CFR titles covering
13475 hectares have
been awarded

22. 34 communities from Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh who have received management rights
have formed committees and are enforcing rules
agreed in the community meetings to stop illegal
felling, prevent forest fires, conserve biodiversity
etc.

23. THANK YOU!