Tribals To Get More Power To Manage Forest Resources: Environment Ministry

Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Environment has decided to give more powers to the tribal communities in managing the forest resources, a statement released by MoEFCC said. A 'Joint Commission' to make this change will be signed today in New Delhi in the Indira Paryawaran Bhawan.

The change is in line with the effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, commonly known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda and Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, will address the event and issue a joint statement about the implementation of the Act.

The Act

The Act recognizes and gives the forest rights and the right to occupy forest land to the forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD), the statement mentioned. This power will be vested in those communities that have been living in the forests for generations but whose rights could not be recorded in the past.

The Act provides the framework for the recognition of the forest rights of such tribal communities. It also talks about the evidence required for the recognition of rights over forest land.

The Event Will Be Attended By Many Ministers

The mode of the signing ceremony will be hybrid, with some members joining remotely via the internet. Forest Secretary Shri Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Tribal Secretary Shri Anil Kumar Jha, and revenue secretaries of all the states will be present during the event.

Minister of State for Environment Shri Babul Supriyo and Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta will be among the attendees.

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