Lok Sabha Question No. 1518 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Forest Rights of Tribals
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN, SURESH KODIKUNNIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 1518

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.03.2018

## FOREST RIGHTS OF TRIBALS

## †1518. SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN: SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to State:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the reports that despite a decade after the Scheduled Tribes and  Other  Traditional  Forest  Dwellers  (Recognition  of  Forest  Rights)  Act,  2006  was  passed, there is only 16 per cent of the total potential of community forest rights and community rights in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Kerala;
- (b) the reasons therefor and the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government has sought details of instances of delay in  community  claims being passed by the District level committees responsible for the process from various States;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has decided to set a cut-off date for the States to grant tribals and other traditional forest dwellers legal title of the land traditionally used by them and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a) to (d) Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 ( FRA), Community Forest Rights (CFR) are recognized on the basis of claims received and admitted following due process.   Assessment of potential is not mandated by the  Act  and  hence  it  is  not  done.  As  per  the  information  received  from  State  Governments,  till 30.11.2018, 64,328 CFR claims have been recognized in the country,against a total of 1,39,266 CFR claims received, which is 46.19 per cent of claims received. The State Government of Kerala has received  1395  Community  Forest  Rights  claims  (as  on  30.11.2017),  but  have  not  submitted segregated data of titles distributed towards individual rights and CFR recognized. The State-wise information of number of community claims received and number of community claims admitted is at Annexure I .    There  is  awareness  regarding  the  FRA and  claims are being  receivedfrom States throughout  the  country.  Details  of  action  taken  by  Ministry  to  monitor  and  encourage  speedier implementation of FRA including the disposal of community claims is given at Annexure II.
- (e). No such decision has been taken.

****

Statement in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1518 for 05.03.2018 regarding Forest Rights of Tribals.

Details of number of community claims received and number of titles distributed, under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 as on 30.11.2017.

| S. No .   | States           | No. of Community Claims received upto30.11.2017   | No. of Community Claims admitted upto 30.11.2017   |
|-----------|------------------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh   | 4,726                                             | 1,428                                              |
| 2         | Assam            | 6,046                                             | 1,477                                              |
| 3         | Bihar            | 0                                                 | 0                                                  |
| 4         | Chhattisgarh     | 27,548                                            | 14,161                                             |
| 5         | Goa              | 372                                               | 8                                                  |
| 6         | Gujarat          | 7,187                                             | 3,516                                              |
| 7         | Himachal Pradesh | 68                                                | 7                                                  |
| 8         | Jharkhand        | 3,286                                             | 1,723                                              |
| 9         | Karnataka        | 5,741                                             | 628                                                |
| 10        | Kerala           | 1,395                                             | NA#                                                |
| 11        | Madhya Pradesh   | 39,419                                            | 27,275                                             |
| 12        | Maharashtra      | 11,408                                            | 5,748                                              |
| 13        | Odisha           | 13,062                                            | 5,964                                              |
| 14        | Rajasthan        | 700                                               | 88                                                 |
| 15        | Tamil Nadu       | 3,361                                             | 0                                                  |
| 16        | Telangana        | 3,427                                             | 721                                                |
| 17        | Tripura          | 277                                               | 55                                                 |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh    | 1,124                                             | 843                                                |
| 19        | Uttarakhand      | 0                                                 | 0                                                  |
| 20        | West Bengal      | 10,119                                            | 686                                                |
| TOTAL     | TOTAL            | 1,39,266                                          | 64,328                                             |

# NA :  Not Available

## Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1518 for 05.03.2018 on 'Forest Rights of Tribals'

## Steps  being  taken  by  Ministry  to  monitor  and  encourage  speedier  implementation  of  FRA including the disposal of community claims.

1. The  Ministry  regularly  monitors  the  progress  in  the  distribution  of  title  deeds,across  all States. A regular update is sought from all the States in form of Monthly Progress Report (MPR) which  is  also  published  on  the  website  of  the  Ministry  every  month.  The  MPR  also  helps  in identifying the high/ low performing States and the specific need for interventions.
2. This Ministry has written to the Principal Secretaries of States identified as low performing,seeking  justification  of  their  current  status  and  asking  them  to  undertake  suo  moto review of rejected claims to ensure that no wrongful rejections are made.
3. Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also written to the Chief Secretaries of the State Governments where rejection of FRA claims is very high directing them to mandatorily review such claims since 1 st April, 2014 if the same has not already not reviewed.
4. To  encourage  speedier  implementation  of  the  Act  funds  to  undertake  crucial  pre-requisite works such as public awareness building, support for evidence collection, mapping and demarcation, land  measurements,  use  of  space  technology  (in  support  of  evidences),  other  administrative expenses,  etc.  are  provided  by  the  Ministry  under  SCA  to  TSS  for  FRA  workand  has  issued directions to State Governments accordingly.
5. For effective implementation of FRA, various steps have been taken which inter-alia includes Translation  of  Act,  Rules  and  clarifications  into  local  languages  through  the  Tribal  Research Institutes (TRIs), awareness camps, Regional Consultations/Workshops etc.
6. During  the  year  2017-18,  several  rounds  of  Review-cum-consultation  meetings  have  been held covering all States wherein the progress of FRA implementation has been reviewed and suitable directions given in such meetings.
7. A  Forest  Rights  portal  i.e. http://forestrights.nic.in hasbeen  developed  by  the  Ministry exclusively for the Act which gives complete information about the Forest Right Act and Rules and facilitates the filing of claims under the Act.