Lok Sabha Question No. 4319 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Forest Land in Tribal Areas
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Ramesh Chandra Majhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 4319

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 27/03/2023

## FOREST LAND IN TRIBAL AREAS

4319. SHRI RAMESH CHANDRA MAJHI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  tribal  people  in  the  tribal  dominated  areas  of  the  country  have  been allocated forest land for agricultural produce to help them to earn their livelihood;
- (b) if so, the number of such tribal people who have been allocated forest land in tribal dominated areas, particularly in Odisha during the last five years, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated/ proposed to formulate any programme for provision of water to irrigate the forest land allocated to these tribal farmers; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) to (d) : Ministry of Tribal Affairs administers the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (in short FRA). Sub-section (a) to (m) of Section (3) (1) of FRA lists the rights to be vested among Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDSTs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs). Section (a) of Section 3 (1) of the FRA stipulates 'right to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or common occupation for habitation or for selfcultivation for livelihood by a member or members of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes or other traditional forest dwellers'.

As per FRA  and rules made there under State Governments /  UT Administrations are responsible for implementation of various provisions of the Act. The  State  Governments  /UT  administrations  submit  the  monthly  progress  reports (MPRs) to  this  Ministry  regarding  implementation  of  FRA.  The  MPR,  inter  alia, contains  State-wise  data  regarding individual  and  community  claims  filed,  titles distributed, extent of forest land for which titles distributed. However, conferment of rights envisaged in each section (a) to (m) of Section (3) (1) of FRA is not centrally maintained.

As per information received from State Governments as on 30.11.2022, a total of  44,66,617 claims (42,97,245 individual and 1,69,372 community) have been filed and  22,49,671  titles  (21,46,782  individual  and  1,02,889  community)  have  been distributed  to  the  extent  of  1,68,29,864  acres  (  45,68,053  acres  for  individual  and 1,22,61,811  acres  for  community)  of  forest  land. The  State-wise  details  including Odisha regarding distribution of individual and community rights and extent of forest land for which titles distributed under FRA upto 30.11.2022 is at Annexure 1 .

Rule 16 of FRA stipulates post claim support and handholding of holders of Forest rights and reads as follows:

'The State Governments shall ensure through its departments especially tribal and social welfare, environment and forest, revenue, rural development, panchayati raj and other departments relevant to upliftment of forest dwelling scheduled tribes and other traditionally forest dwellers, that all government schemes including those relating to land improvement, land productivity, basic amenities and other livelihood measures are provided to such claimants and communities whose rights have been recognized and vested under the Act.'

Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been issuing advisories to the States from time to time besides meetings and conferences for effective implementation of FRA including provision of benefits from various sectoral developmental schemes in full measure post recognition of Forest Rights, like making SHGs under Vandhan Vikas Kendra, growing medicinal plants, linking with Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi  and with other schemes of Government of India including Ministry of Agriculture, which facilitate agriculture including irrigation.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4319 for 27.03.2023

State wise details of claims received, titles distributed and the extent of forest land for which titles distributed (individual and community), as on 30.11.2022, in States/UTs, is indicated below:

| S. No.   | States                   | No. of Claims received upto 30.11.2022   | No. of Claims received upto 30.11.2022   | No. of Claims received upto 30.11.2022   | No. of Titles Distributed upto 30.11.2022   | No. of Titles Distributed upto 30.11.2022   | No. of Titles Distributed upto 30.11.2022   | Extent of Forest land for which titles distributed (in acres )   | Extent of Forest land for which titles distributed (in acres )   | Extent of Forest land for which titles distributed (in acres )   |
|----------|--------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | States                   | Individual                               | Community                                | Total                                    | Individual                                  | Community                                   | Total                                       | Individual                                                       | Community                                                        | Total                                                            |
|          |                          | 1                                        | 2                                        | 3                                        | 4                                           | 5                                           | 6                                           | 8                                                                | 9                                                                | 10                                                               |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh           | 2,81,431                                 | 3,294                                    | 2,84,725                                 | 2,17,981                                    | 1,822                                       | 2,19,803                                    | 4,46,068                                                         | 5,26,455                                                         | 9,72,523.00                                                      |
| 2        | Assam                    | 1,48,965                                 | 6,046                                    | 1,55,011                                 | 57,325                                      | 1,477                                       | 58,802                                      | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            |
| 3        | Bihar                    | 8,022                                    | NA/NR                                    | 8,022                                    | 121                                         | 0                                           | 121                                         | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            |
| 4        | Chhattisgarh             | 8,71,457                                 | 50,889                                   | 9,22,346                                 | 4,46,041                                    | 45,764                                      | 4,91,805                                    | 8,98,685.35                                                      | 49,00,036.27                                                     | 57,98,721.63                                                     |
| 5        | Goa                      | 9,758                                    | 378                                      | 10,136                                   | 472                                         | 13                                          | 485                                         | 884.37                                                           | 18.16                                                            | 902.53                                                           |
| 6        | Gujarat                  | 1,82,869                                 | 7,187                                    | 1,90,056                                 | 91,686                                      | 4,597                                       | 96,283                                      | 1,56,924.55                                                      | 12,36,490.19                                                     | 13,93,414.74                                                     |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh         | 2,746                                    | 275                                      | 3,021                                    | 129                                         | 35                                          | 164                                         | 5.96                                                             | 4,741.80                                                         | 4,747.76                                                         |
| 8        | Jharkhand                | 1,07,032                                 | 3,724                                    | 1,10,756                                 | 59,866                                      | 2,104                                       | 61,970                                      | 1,53,395.86                                                      | 1,03,758.97                                                      | 2,57,154.83                                                      |
| 9        | Karnataka                | 2,85,874                                 | 5,862                                    | 2,91,736                                 | 14,783                                      | 1,344                                       | 16,127                                      | 19,998.38                                                        | 36,340.52                                                        | 56,338.90                                                        |
| 10       | Kerala                   | 43,889                                   | 940                                      | 44,829                                   | 27,637                                      | 190                                         | 27,827                                      | 36,594.74                                                        | 7,37,414.40                                                      | 7,74,009.14                                                      |
| 11       | Madhya Pradesh           | 5,85,326                                 | 42,187                                   | 6,27,513                                 | 2,66,609                                    | 27,976                                      | 2,94,585                                    | 9,02,750.46                                                      | 14,63,614.46                                                     | 23,66,364.92                                                     |
| 12       | Maharashtra              | 3,62,679                                 | 12,037                                   | 3,74,716                                 | 1,65,032                                    | 7,084                                       | 1,72,116                                    | 3,92,928.73                                                      | 27,36,660.68                                                     | 31,29,589.41                                                     |
| 13       | Odisha                   | 6,29,913                                 | 15,430                                   | 6,45,343                                 | 4,54,454                                    | 7,706                                       | 4,62,160                                    | 6,67,625.99                                                      | 3,45,832.37                                                      | 10,13,458.36                                                     |
| 14       | Rajasthan                | 1,10,670                                 | 2,697                                    | 1,13,367                                 | 48,460                                      | 576                                         | 49,036                                      | 66,251.10                                                        | 44,916.99                                                        | 1,11,168.09                                                      |
| 15       | Tamil Nadu               | 33,755                                   | 1,082                                    | 34,837                                   | 8,144                                       | 450                                         | 8,594                                       | 9,626.44                                                         | NA/NR                                                            | 9,626.44                                                         |
| 16       | Telangana                | 2,04,176                                 | 2,808                                    | 2,06,984                                 | 97,434                                      | 102                                         | 97,536                                      | 3,10,916.00                                                      | 3,631.00                                                         | 3,14,547.00                                                      |
| 17       | Tripura                  | 2,00,557                                 | 164                                      | 2,00,721                                 | 1,27,931                                    | 101                                         | 1,28,032                                    | 4,65,192.88                                                      | 552.40                                                           | 4,65,745.28                                                      |
| 18       | Uttar Pradesh            | 92,577                                   | 1,162                                    | 93,739                                   | 18,049                                      | 861                                         | 18,910                                      | 19,190.27                                                        | 1,20,776.00                                                      | 1,39,966.27                                                      |
| 19       | Uttarakhand              | 3,587                                    | 3,091                                    | 6,678                                    | 184                                         | 1                                           | 185                                         | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             |
| 20       | West Bengal              | 1,31,962                                 | 10,119                                   | 1,42,081                                 | 44,444                                      | 686                                         | 45,130                                      | 21,014.27                                                        | 572.03                                                           | 21,586.29                                                        |
| 21       | Andman& Nicobar I slands | 0                                        | 0                                        | 0                                        | 0                                           | 0                                           | 0                                           | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             |
| 22       | Ladakh                   | 0                                        | 0                                        | 0                                        | 0                                           | 0                                           | 0                                           | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             |
|          | TOTAL                    | 42,97,245                                | 1,69,372                                 | 44,66,617                                | 21,46,782                                   | 1,02,889                                    | 22,49,671                                   | 45,68,053                                                        | 1,22,61,811                                                      | 1,68,29,864.60                                                   |

NA/NR-Related figure is either not available or not reported.

*****

## Annexure-1