Lok Sabha Question No. 222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-24
Subject: Forest Villages
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 222

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.06.2019

## FOREST VILLAGES

## 222. SHRIMATI RATHVA GITABEN VAJESINGBHAI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  programmes  being  implemented  by  the  Government  specially  for  forest villages and its dwellers in the country particularly in tribal areas for the last two years, Statewise;
- (b)  the  allocation  made,  amount  sanctioned,  released  and  utilisation  made  by  the  State Governments as well as concerned departments for the purpose during this period; and
- (c) whether the Government has proposed for upgradation of Forest Villages into Revenue Villages and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

- (a) & (b) Ministry of Tribal Affairs had implemented a programme for development of forest villages since 2005-06 as a one-time measure for integrated development of forest villages with a view to raise the Human Development Index (HDI) of the inhabitants of the forest villages and for providing basic facilities and services in 2,474 forest villages/habitations that were  covered  under  the  programmes  spread  over  twelve  States  in  the  country.        The programme  included  infrastructure  works  relating  to  basic  services  and  facilities  viz. approach  roads,  healthcare, primary  education,  minor  irrigation, rainwater harvesting, drinking water, sanitation, community halls, etc. and activities related to income generation. The programme was implemented as a part of the Special Area Programme 'Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Plan' and funds were released from the year 2006-07 to 2011-12 only. No fund has been released during 2012-13 and onwards.
- (c) This Ministry has issued guidelines, in compliance of Section 3 (1) (h) of 'The Scheduled Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest  Dwellers  (Recognition  of  Forest  Rights)  Act,  2006  to convertall forest villages, old habitations, unsurveyed villages in forests, whether recorded, notified  or  not  into  revenue  villages  vide  letter  No.23011/33/2010-FRA  dated  08.11.2013 which was followed by letters of even number dated 6 th June,  2014,  dated 30.01.2018 and 24.04.2019.The  status  of  conversion  of  Forest  Villages  to  Revenue  Villages  based  on  the information received from the State Governments is as under:-

|   S.No | Name of the State   | Forest village to Revenue village                                                                         |
|--------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|      1 | Madhya Pradesh      | 925 Forest Villages to be converted to Revenue Villages                                                   |
|      2 | Maharashtra         | All Forest villages are in the process of conversion into revenue villages                                |
|      3 | Chhattisgarh        | 421 Forest villages converted to Revenue villages                                                         |
|      4 | West Bengal         | 86 Forest villages converted to Revenue villages                                                          |
|      5 | Odisha              | Recorded 22 Forest Villages and unsurveyed habitations identified for being converted to Revenue villages |
|      6 | Gujarat             | 175 have been identified for conversion to Revenue villages                                               |
|      7 | Uttar Pradesh       | 6 have been converted to Revenue Villages.                                                                |