Question : FOREST RIGHTS

(a) the details of claims filed for individual and community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(b) the ratio of these claims verified so far, State-wise;

(c) the number of claims settled and awarded during the said period, State-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to take any action on the forest rights claims that have been pending beyond the stipulated 90 days period including setting a deadline for clearing the claims at the level of district officers and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the measures being taken to expedite the process of settling such claims including penalising the defaulting authorities?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (e) The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry for implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act, 2006). Based on the information received from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the State-wise details of claims filed for individual and community forest rights, the ratio of verified claims and the number of claims settled and awarded under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 during the last three years are given in Annexure.

Responsibility for implementing the provisions of the above said Act lies with the State Governments / UT Administrations. For expediting the process of settling the claims under the said Act, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs constantly follows up with the concerned states/ UTs and also provides training to the field level functionaries in the states/ UTs as well as support by holding consultations in different parts of the country and clarifies doubts, whenever required.