Chhattisgarh Forest Department Withdraws Community Forest Rights Order 

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance, GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Chhattisgarh Forest Department recently withdrew its May 2025 advisory that prohibited NGOs, private entities, and other departments from engaging in Community Forest Resource (CFR) management activities.
  • The directive was withdrawn following protests, as it was seen as violating the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

Background

• The May 2025 order cited a 2020 circular and the National Working Plan Code (NWPC), 2023, emphasizing the need for scientific forest management.
• The order conflicted with the 2023 guidelines of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which empower Gram Sabhas and their CFR Management Committees (CFRMCs) to independently prepare and approve CFR plans, consulting Forest Departments only afterward.

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

• The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 legally recognizes the rights of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) to manage, conserve, and use forest resources sustainably.
• Key Provisions:
  • Section 3(1)(i): Empowers forest-dwelling communities to protect, conserve, regenerate, and manage community forest resources.
  • Section 5: Grants Gram Sabhas the power to protect wildlife, biodiversity, and forests.
  • Gram Sabha’s Role: The law puts Gram Sabhas at the core of forest governance.

Significance of Community Forest Rights

• Empowerment of Tribal Communities: CFRR enables self-governance and recognition of traditional knowledge systems.
• Forest Conservation: Studies show that forests governed by local communities have higher biodiversity and regeneration rates.
• Livelihood Security: Provides legal access to forest produce and sustainable income.
• Climate Co-Benefits: Community-managed forests can aid carbon sequestration, aligning with India’s climate goals.

What are the Key Issues?

• Institutional Turf War: It reflects a long-standing tension between the Forest Department’s control-oriented approach and community-led forest governance.
• Legal vs Executive Interpretation: FRA places the Gram Sabha at the centre of forest governance.
  • The Forest Department’s interpretation undermined statutory provisions, violating both spirit and letter of the FRA.
• Delay in Central Guidelines: The absence of model CFR plans and implementation modules from the Centre has created policy ambiguity.

Government Initiatives

• Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA): The scheme aims to strengthen the implementation of community forest resource rights by providing financial and technical support to Gram Sabhas.
• The National Working Plan Code, 2023 (NWPC, 2023), released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), provides updated scientific and technical guidelines for forest management in India.
• The Digital India Van Mitra App, currently in its pilot stage, facilitates the digital mapping of Community Forest Resource lands using GPS.
  • The app assists Gram Sabhas in defining and managing their recognized forest areas, promoting transparency and accountability in forest rights implementation.

Source: IE