(a) whether the Government proposes to hand over vast tracks of sanctuary land to
traditional forest dwellers;
(b) if, so the details thereof including the criteria adopted for the purpose;
(c) the details of the plans of the Government to hand over sanctuary land to
forest dwellers; and
(d) the time by which the said proposal is likely to be implemented?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a),(b),(c)&(d) As per the provisions of the Schedule Tribes and Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the transfer of land to
the traditional forest dwellers is to be made by the concerned State Governments.
The Rules for carrying out the provisions of the Act have been framed and notified
on 1.1.2008. As per these Rules, the process for determining the nature and extent
of the forest rights to be vested in forest dwelling Scheduled tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers is to be initiated by the Gram Sabhas, which are to be
scrutinized at the level of the Sub Divisional level Committee and the claims and
record of forest rights are to be approved finally by the District level Committee.
The same provisions are applicable to the Sanctuary land also.The State
Governments/Union Territory Administrations have progressed in varying degrees
in implementation of the Act.