Question : Resource Right for Tribals

(a) whether the Forest Right Act, 2006 gives major preferences in ensuring the‘resource right’ for the tribal’s the real owners of the land and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the confluence between the tribal’s and forest dwellers are recorded and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the developmental initiative committed by the corporates ensures the welfare of the tribal and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the enacted “Gram Sabha’’ preferably headed by the tribal community has been established in the entire forest regions and if so, the details thereof?

(a) Yes Sir, Section 3 (1) (i) of Forest Rights Act, 2006 provides for rights to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource on all forest land which Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use.

(b) Forest Right Act, 2006 is an Act to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in such forests for generations but whose rights could not be recorded; to provide for a framework for recording the forest rights so vested and the nature of evidence required for such recognition and vesting in respect of forest land. As per the Act and rules thereunder, State Governments are responsible for implementation of the Act. As per information received from the states, as on 31/05/2019, 42,37,853 claims have been received, out of which 19,64,048 titles have been distributed to the extent of 1,29,38,762.14 acres of forest land.

(c) National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) is an apex organization set up in April 2001 exclusively for economic development of Scheduled Tribes. This Corporation was incorporated as a Govt. Company under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and granted license under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013). The Corporation plays a leading role in economic upliftment of Scheduled Tribes by providing financial assistance at concessional rates of interest through channelizing agencies. NSTFDC implements schemes for self-employment of Scheduled Tribes who are unemployed or underemployed.NSTFDC is also involved in CSR initiative for tribal population, details of which is at Annexure.
(d) As per Section 2 (g) of Forest Right Act, 2006, “Gram Sabha” means a village assembly which shall consist of all adult members of a village and in case of States having no Panchayat, Padas, Tolas and other traditional village institutions and elected village committees, with full and unrestricted participation of women. This Ministry has been writing to the State Governments for effective implementation of the Act including constitution of Gram Sabhas. The three tier structure as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006 including Gram Sabha, SDLC & DLC is largely in place in all the implementing states.