Question : Community Forest Resources

(a) whether the Government proposes to bring any changes in ideal guidelines for protection, management and sustainable use of community forest resources;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of the impact of the said changes on sensitive tribal groups;
(d) whether the Government proposes to create a data bank for tribal lands; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SMT RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

(a) to (e): The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (In short FRA) was enacted by the Parliament in 2006 and the Act was notified for its operation on 31.12.2007 and rules made there under also notified on 1.1.2008. As per FRA and rules made there under, State Governments are responsible for implementation of various provisions of the Act. Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal agency for the implementation of the provisions of this Act. For ensuring efficient and expeditious implementation of the Act. Ministry of Tribal Affairs issues advisories and Guidelines to the States from time to time on recognition of individual rights, community rights and community forest resource rights for protection, regeneration, conservation or management of community forest resource for sustainable use for the benefit of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers. The last Guidelines issued by Ministry of Tribal Affairs for management of community forest resource was on 23.4.2015
After recognition of rights, Record of Rights are required to be updated.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is committed to ensure implementation of the Act in accordance with the Act and Rules there under. As a part of this commitment, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India haveissued a joint communication, addressed to all the State Governments, except Mizoram and Nagaland where the FRA is not applicable, regarding the expeditious implementation of the FRA, 2006 in accordance with statutory provisions and procedures thereunder.
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