Lok Sabha Question No. 298 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-24
Subject: Dispute over Forest Land
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Raksha Nikhil Khadse

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS) LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 298

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.06.2019

## DISPUTE OVER FOREST LAND

## 298. SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)      whether  the  Government  proposes  to  examine  for  the  biggest  reforms  to  correct  this historic injustice done  to tribal, as the impact  of number  of  Acts  ever  since independence, several Government launched, have not been able to resolve the issue of historical injustice regarding settlement of disputed claims of tribals over Forest Lands and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   the details of the economic policy of the forests interface and chalk out an integrated strategy;
- (c)   whether the Government proposes changes in IFS training to the needed to encompass tribal welfare as a core value of forest management; and
- (d)     if so, the details thereof?

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a)  To  undo  the  historical  injustice  done  to  forest  dwellers  (both  tribal  and  other  forest dwelling communities) whose  rights over the forest land were not recognized during colonial period    well  as  independent  India,  the  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest Dwellers  (Recognition  of  Forest  Rights)  Act,  2006  (in  short  FRA,  2006)  was  notified  for operation on 31.12.2007. This 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 right could not be recorded; to provide for a framework for recording the forest right so vested and the nature of evidence required for such recognition and vesting in respect of forest land.As per the provisions of Act  and  Rules  framed  thereunder,  the  State  Government,/UTs  are  responsible  for  its implementation. As per  information received from State Governments/UTsupto 31.03.2019, under  the  FRA,  42,37,853  claims  (40,89,035  individual  and  1,48,818  community  claims) have  been  filed  and  19,64,048  titles  (18,87,894  individual  and  76,154  community  claims) have been distributed to the extent of 1,29,38,762.14 acres of forest land.

## ANSWER

(b) As  per  information  received  from  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change, there is no economic policy of forests per se. However National Forest Policy (NFP) 1988  provides  a  broad  framework  related  to  economic  aspects  of  forests.  Meeting  basic requirements  of  fuelwood,  fodder,  minor  forest  produce  and  small  timber  of  the  rural  and tribal population is one of the basic objectives of the policy. This is incorporated in essential of  forest  management.  For  achieving  this,  NFP  envisages  a  massive  needs-based  and  time bound programme of afforestation and tree planting, with particular emphasis on fuelwood and fodder development, on all degraded and denuded lands in the country, whether forest or non-forest land. Village and community lands, including those on foreshores and environs of tanks, not required for other productive uses, should be taken up for the development of tree crops and fodder resources: Village and community lands, including those on foreshores and environs  of  tanks,  not  required  for  other  productive  uses,  should  be  taken  up  for  the development  of  tree  crops  and  fodder  resources.  Technical  assistance  and  other  inputs necessary  for  initiating  such  programmes  should  be  provided  by  the  Government.  The revenues  generated  through  such  programmes  should  belong  to  the  panchayats  where  the lands are vested in them; in all other cases, such revenues should be shared with the local communities in order to provide an incentive to them. The life of tribals and other poor living within and near forests revolves around forests. The rights and concessions enjoyed by them should  be  fully  protected.  Their  domestic  requirements  of  fuelwood,  fodder,  minor  forest produce and construction timber should be first made available through conveniently located depots  at  reasonable  prices.  NFP  provides  broad  governing  principles  for  forest  based industries also.

(c)  &  (d)  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  constituted  an  expert committee for restructuring the Course Curriculum for training of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers  in  Indira  Gandhi  National  Forest  Academy  (IGNFA),  Dehradun  vide  OM  dated 19.02.2019. The committee in its recommendations submitted to the Ministry, has suggested to give more emphasis on the welfare of Tribal Communities by incorporating a module titled 'Tribals  and  Forest  Dependent  Communities' in the  IFS probationers professional training curriculum.

********