{"id":35418,"date":"2025-01-14T19:06:36","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T13:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=35418"},"modified":"2025-01-16T16:49:44","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T11:19:44","slug":"forest-protection-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/14-01-2025\/forest-protection-act","title":{"rendered":"Centre to States: Create Mechanism For Compliance with FRA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Community Rights and GS3\/Forest Conservation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has directed the states to create an<strong> institutional mechanism<\/strong> to ensure compliance with the <strong>Forest Protection Act <\/strong>and set up a <strong>mechanism to address grievances of the forest-dwelling communities.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Aim: <\/strong>Underlining that forest-dwelling communities were protected from unlawful eviction under the Forest Protection Act.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reason: <\/strong>The Ministry had received complaints from dozens of villages situated inside tiger reserves in at least three states \u2014 Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They alleged that residents were being pressured to vacate their traditional lands without due recognition of their rights under the FRA and Wildlife Protection Act.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Ministry has asked the following details from the state tribal development and forest departments:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>a report detailing the name and number of villages situated in tiger reserves;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the tribes and forest-dwelling communities in such villages;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and all the forest rights claims received, vested, and rejected.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has also sought to know the process of seeking consent and the likely compensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Forest Cover in India<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; As per the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023), the total Forest and Tree cover is 8,27,357sq km, which is <strong>25.17 percent <\/strong>of the geographical area of the country.<br>&#8211; <strong>Area wise top three states<\/strong> having largest forest cover are <strong>Madhya Pradesh (77,073 sq km) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km) and Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km).<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Top four states showing maximum increase<\/strong> in forest and tree cover: Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Forest Protection Act in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Forest Protection Act in India refers to a series of legislative measures aimed at the conservation, preservation, and protection of forests.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Indian Forest Act, 1927<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It was framed with the objective of managing timber and other forest resources.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It provides for state governments to notify any forest land they own as reserved or protected forests.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All land rights in such land are subject to the provisions of the Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Forest Conservation Act, 1980<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Forest Conservation Act (FCA) was enacted to address deforestation and to regulate the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes (like industrial, mining, or infrastructural projects).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Act requires prior approval from the central government for the use of forest land for non-forest purposes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It aims to protect forests from depletion and helps in ensuring sustainable forest management practices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Forest Rights Act<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act or FRA) was introduced <strong>to recognize the rights of forest-dwelling communities<\/strong>, including Scheduled Tribes, over forest resources that they have been traditionally using.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Major Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Recognition of Rights:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes individual and community rights such as Self-cultivation, Habitation, Grazing, Fishing and access to Water bodies in forests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It also includes <strong>Habitat Rights<\/strong> for PVTGs, Traditional Seasonal Resource access of Nomadic and Pastoral communities, access to biodiversity, <strong>community right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Allocation of Forest Land:<\/strong> It also provides rights to allocation of forest land for <strong>developmental purposes<\/strong> to fulfil basic infrastructural needs of the community.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In conjunction with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Settlement Act, 2013 <strong>FRA protects the tribal population from eviction without rehabilitation and settlement.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role of Gram Sabha: <\/strong>The Act further enjoins upon the Gram Sabha and rights holders the <strong>responsibility of conservation and protection of forests<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Gram Sabha is also a highly empowered body under the Act, enabling the tribal population to have a decisive say in the <strong>determination of local policies and schemes impacting them.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Implementation of the FRA&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bureaucratic Resistance and Delays:<\/strong> Slow implementation and bureaucratic hurdles at the local and state levels, including lack of resources in forest departments and government bodies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Opposition from Forest Authorities:<\/strong> Forest officials often resist the Act, fearing loss of control over forest resources and conflicting interests between conservation and community rights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Awareness: <\/strong>Many forest-dwelling communities are unaware of their rights under the FRA, hindering the filing and recognition of claims.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Land Title Issues:<\/strong> Inaccurate land records and disputes over land ownership complicate the process of granting rights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Displacement and Evictions:<\/strong> Forced evictions from protected areas, often prioritizing conservation over community rights, pose a significant challenge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weak Forest Rights Committees (FRCs):<\/strong> FRCs, which are crucial for recognizing rights at the village level, often function ineffectively due to lack of training and political interference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political Will: <\/strong>Inconsistent political commitment to the FRA across different states leads to uneven implementation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Enhance Awareness: <\/strong>Conduct awareness campaigns to educate communities about their rights under the FRA and train Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) for effective claims management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Streamline Processes: <\/strong>Simplify and expedite claim verification, title issuance, and land demarcation to reduce delays.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Foster Cooperation with Forest Authorities:<\/strong> Train forest officials on the Act and promote a balanced approach between conservation and community rights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Update Land Records: <\/strong>Improve accuracy in land records and use technology for land mapping and dispute resolution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prevent Displacement:<\/strong> Avoid forced evictions, especially in protected areas, and prioritize rights protection over eviction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor and Evaluate<\/strong>: Establish transparent monitoring mechanisms and conduct regular evaluations to track progress and resolve issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/centre-asks-states-to-create-mechanism-for-compliance-with-forest-rights-act-9777367\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has directed the states to create an institutional mechanism to ensure compliance with the Forest Protection Act and set up a mechanism to address grievances of the forest-dwelling communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35418"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35573,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35418\/revisions\/35573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}