Lok Sabha Question No. 73 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri K Radhakrishnan, Shri Benny Behanan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 73

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF FOREST RIGHTS ACT, 2006

*73. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

## SHRI K RADHAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 particularly on the recognition of individual and community forest rights in the country, State-wise;
- (b) the details of funds allocated and utilised under the Tribal Sub-Plan during the last five years and the manner in which their impact is being monitored;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to introduce any nationwide scheme similar to  Kerala's  'Tribal  Plus'  programme  that  ensures  additional  employment  under MGNREGS for tribal families and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the status of vacancies in posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidates in Union Government departments, Public Sector Undertakings and educational institutions; and
- (e)  the  number  of  tribal  students  benefited  from  pre-matric  and  post-matric scholarship schemes during the last three years, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JUAL ORAM)

- (a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 73 for answer on 24.07.2025 regarding 'Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006' by Shri Benny Behanan and Shri K Radhakrishnan

(a):  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs,  being  the  Nodal  Ministry  for  administering  the legislative matters of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and Rules made thereunder, by exercising power under Section 12 of the Act, has been issuing directions and guidelines from time to time on various aspects to ensure proper implementation of the Act. As per FRA and rules made thereunder, respective State Governments/ UT Administrations are responsible for implementation of various provisions of the FR Act and are being implemented in 20 States and 1 UT.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs seeks a Monthly Progress Report from  the States/UTs, as per the latest information reported by States and collated under MPR till 31st May, 2025,  a  total  of  25,11,375  titles  have  been  recognised,  comprising  23,89,670 individual and 1,21,705 community titles over  the extent of  2,32,73,947.39 acres of forest land. The state wise details are enclosed at Annexure I .

- (b): The details of allocation and expenditure for TSP by States/UTs, out of their own  funds, are available at https://statetsp.tribal.gov.in Monitoring of TSP is done based on the State TSP Guidelines issued by the Planning Commission in 2014.
- (c) : As informed by Ministry of Rural Development,  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment Scheme. It provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred  days  of  guaranteed  wage  employment  in  every  financial  year  to  every household  whose  adult  members  volunteer  to  do  unskilled  manual  work.  It  also mandates an extra 50 days of wage employment for Scheduled Tribe households in forest areas and provides for an additional 50 days of wage employment in drought or natural calamity-affected rural areas. State Governments may allocate additional days of employment beyond the guaranteed period using their funds. Implementation  of  the  scheme  is  the  responsibility  of  the  State  and  several provisions for proper implementation have been provided in the  Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.
- (d):   Department  of  Personnel  and  Training  (DoPT)  monitors  the  progress  of vacancies in posts reserved for  Scheduled  Tribes  candidates  in  the  Union Government. As informed by DoPT, 'Occurrence and filling of vacancies, along with backlog reserved vacancies, is a continuous process. Instructions have been issued to all Ministries/Departments of the Central Government to constitute an InHouse Committee for identification of backlog reserved vacancies, to study the root cause of such vacancies, to initiate measures to remove the factors causing such

vacancies and to fill them up through Special Recruitment Drives. The details of vacancies are maintained by the respective Ministry/ Department. Ministries/Departments of the Central Government have been directed, from time to time, to fill up the vacant posts in a time bound manner. Each Ministry/Department of the Central Government is required to designate an officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary and above, as Liaison Officer, to ensure due compliance of the orders and instructions pertaining to reservation. Further, each Ministry/Department is required to set up a Special Reservation Cell under the direct control of the Liaison Officer to assist her/him in discharge of duties. However, it is informed that as per the data furnished  by  the  Ministries/  Departments  as  on  1.1.2025,  more  than  4.65  lakh backlog vacancies have been filled since 2016, including more than 1.15 lakh ST vacancies. Further, the representation of ST in the total employee strength reported by Ministries/ Departments to DoPT is 8.8%.'

In addition to the above, the Department of Public Enterprises has been informed that-  'As  per  information  available  in  Public  Enterprises  Survey  2023-24  (as  on 31.3.2024), out of the 8.12 lakh total employees in operating Central Public Sector Enterprises, 0.88 lakh (10.85%) were from Scheduled Tribes'.

(e):  The  number  of  tribal  students  benefited  from  pre-matric  and  post-matric scholarship schemes during the last 3 years is enclosed at Annexure-II .

Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 73 for answer on 24.07.2025 regarding 'Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006' by Shri Benny Behanan and Shri K Radhakrishnan

State wise details of claims received, titles distributed and the extent of forest land for  which  titles  distributed  (individual  and  community),  as  on  31.05.2025,  is indicated below:

| S. N o.   | States/ UT        | No. of Titles Distributed   | No. of Titles Distributed   | No. of Titles Distributed   | Extent of Forest land for which titles dis tributed (in acres)   | Extent of Forest land for which titles dis tributed (in acres)   | Extent of Forest land for which titles dis tributed (in acres)   |
|-----------|-------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. N o.   | States/ UT        | Individua l                 | Communit y                  | Total                       | Individua l                                                      | Commun ity                                                       | Total                                                            |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 226,651                     | 1,822                       | 228,473                     | 454,706                                                          | 526,454                                                          | 981,160.00                                                       |
| 2         | Assam             | 57,325                      | 1,477                       | 58,802                      | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            |
| 3         | Bihar             | 191                         | 0                           | 191                         | 53.03                                                            | 0.00                                                             | 53                                                               |
| 4         | Chhattisgarh      | 481,432                     | 52,636                      | 534,068                     | 949,770.8 9                                                      | 9,102,957 .49                                                    | 10,052,728. 38                                                   |
| 5         | Goa               | 856                         | 15                          | 871                         | 1,506.45                                                         | 18.66                                                            | 1,525.11                                                         |
| 6         | Gujarat           | 98,732                      | 4,792                       | 103,524                     | 168,448.8 3                                                      | 1,240,680 .15                                                    | 1,409,128.9 9                                                    |
| 7         | Himachal Prade sh | 662                         | 146                         | 808                         | 126.65                                                           | 62,677.24                                                        | 62,803.89                                                        |
| 8         | Jharkhand         | 59,866                      | 2,104                       | 61,970                      | 153,395.8 6                                                      | 103,758.9 7                                                      | 257,154.83                                                       |
| 9         | Karnataka         | 14,981                      | 1,345                       | 16,326                      | 20,077.30                                                        | 36,340.52                                                        | 56,417.82                                                        |
| 10        | Kerala            | 29,422                      | 282                         | 29,704                      | 38,810.58                                                        | 788,651.2 5                                                      | 827,461.83                                                       |
| 11        | Madhya Prades h   | 266,901                     | 27,976                      | 294,877                     | 903,533.0 6                                                      | 1,463,614 .46                                                    | 2,367,147.5 2                                                    |
| 12        | Maharashtra       | 199,667                     | 8,668                       | 208,335                     | 461,491.2 5                                                      | 3,371,497 .43                                                    | 3,832,988.6 8                                                    |
| 13        | Odisha            | 462,067                     | 8,832                       | 470,899                     | 674,775.3 3                                                      | 743,193.3 9                                                      | 1,417,968.7 2                                                    |
| 14        | Rajasthan         | 49,215                      | 2,551                       | 51,766                      | 70,387.18                                                        | 239,763.9 5                                                      | 310,151.13                                                       |
| 15        | Tamil Nadu        | 15,442                      | 1,066                       | 16,508                      | 22,104.80                                                        | 60,468.77                                                        | 82,573.57                                                        |
| 16        | Telangana         | 230,735                     | 721                         | 231,456                     | 669,689.1 4                                                      | 457,663.1 7                                                      | 1,127,352.3 2                                                    |
| 17        | Tripura           | 127,931                     | 101                         | 128,032                     | 465,192.8 8                                                      | 552.40                                                           | 465,745.28                                                       |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh     | 22,537                      | 893                         | 23,430                      | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            |
| 19        | Uttarakhand       | 184                         | 1                           | 185                         | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             | 0.00                                                             |
| 20        | West Bengal       | 44,444                      | 686                         | 45,130                      | 21,014.27                                                        | 572.03                                                           | 21,586.29                                                        |
| 21        | Jammu & Kash mir  | 429                         | 5,591                       | 6,020                       | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            | NA/NR                                                            |
| TOTAL     | TOTAL             | 2,389,670                   | 121,705                     | 2,511,37 5                  | 5075083.5 1                                                      | 18198863 .89                                                     | 23273947.3 9                                                     |

Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 73 for answer on 24.07.2025 regarding 'Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006' by Shri Benny Behanan and Shri K Radhakrishnan

| Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl.No.                                                                                                                                 | Name of the State/UT                                                                                                                   | A.Y. 2022-23                                                                                                                           | A.Y. 2023-24                                                                                                                           | A.Y. 2024-25                                                                                                                           |
| 1                                                                                                                                      | A.& N. Islands                                                                                                                         | 386                                                                                                                                    | 193                                                                                                                                    | 311                                                                                                                                    |
| 2                                                                                                                                      | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                         | 129032                                                                                                                                 | 79780                                                                                                                                  | 67888                                                                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                                                                      | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                      | 46330                                                                                                                                  | 42417                                                                                                                                  | 45125                                                                                                                                  |
| 4                                                                                                                                      | Assam                                                                                                                                  | 62140                                                                                                                                  | 58774                                                                                                                                  | 77350                                                                                                                                  |
| 5                                                                                                                                      | Bihar                                                                                                                                  | 3768                                                                                                                                   | 1444                                                                                                                                   | 3428                                                                                                                                   |
| 6                                                                                                                                      | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                           | 34184                                                                                                                                  | 40552                                                                                                                                  | 34022                                                                                                                                  |
| 7                                                                                                                                      | DNH DD                                                                                                                                 | 2208                                                                                                                                   | 1053                                                                                                                                   | 1627                                                                                                                                   |
| 8                                                                                                                                      | Goa                                                                                                                                    | 4439                                                                                                                                   | 3274                                                                                                                                   | 3163                                                                                                                                   |
| 9                                                                                                                                      | Gujarat                                                                                                                                | 262538                                                                                                                                 | 226456                                                                                                                                 | 233161                                                                                                                                 |
| 10                                                                                                                                     | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                       | 4303                                                                                                                                   | 4390                                                                                                                                   | 4937                                                                                                                                   |
| 11                                                                                                                                     | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                                         | 10430                                                                                                                                  | 7319                                                                                                                                   | 15309                                                                                                                                  |
| 12                                                                                                                                     | Jharkhand                                                                                                                              | 147633                                                                                                                                 | 148676                                                                                                                                 | 65104                                                                                                                                  |
| 13                                                                                                                                     | Karnataka                                                                                                                              | 131968                                                                                                                                 | 123707                                                                                                                                 | 125823                                                                                                                                 |
| 14                                                                                                                                     | Kerala                                                                                                                                 | 17652                                                                                                                                  | 12721                                                                                                                                  | 13072                                                                                                                                  |
| 15                                                                                                                                     | Ladakh                                                                                                                                 | 8619                                                                                                                                   | 9413                                                                                                                                   | 8969                                                                                                                                   |
| 16                                                                                                                                     | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                         | 391317                                                                                                                                 | 353486                                                                                                                                 | 326410                                                                                                                                 |
| 17                                                                                                                                     | Maharashtra                                                                                                                            | 106817                                                                                                                                 | 130359                                                                                                                                 | 33432                                                                                                                                  |
| 18                                                                                                                                     | Manipur                                                                                                                                | 42572                                                                                                                                  | 33542                                                                                                                                  | 32275                                                                                                                                  |
| 19                                                                                                                                     | Meghalaya                                                                                                                              | 61360                                                                                                                                  | 76755                                                                                                                                  | 73902                                                                                                                                  |
| 20                                                                                                                                     | Mizoram                                                                                                                                | 38784                                                                                                                                  | 31685                                                                                                                                  | 28471                                                                                                                                  |

| 21   | Nagaland      |   40638 |   42485 | 41793   |
|------|---------------|---------|---------|---------|
| 22   | Odisha        |  204172 |  213957 | 230366  |
| 23   | Puducherry    |      18 |      11 | 10      |
| 24   | Rajasthan     |  236628 |  168516 | *       |
| 25   | Sikkim        |    2650 |    1849 | 2411    |
| 26   | Tamil Nadu    |   23529 |   25216 | 28273   |
| 27   | Telangana     |  114911 |  131505 | 131032  |
| 28   | Tripura       |   37380 |   33678 | 33506   |
| 29   | Uttar Pradesh |    9655 |    9676 | 10427   |
| 30   | Uttarakhand   |    3534 |    3972 | 4766    |
| 31   | West Bengal   |   63208 |   37760 | 29528   |
|      | Total         | 2242803 | 2054621 | 1705891 |

*- beneficiary data not reported by State/UT

| Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students   | Details of Beneficiaries to State Governments/UT Administrations thereof under the Scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl.No.                                                                                                                                | Name of the State/UT                                                                                                                  | A.Y. 2022-23                                                                                                                          | A.Y. 2023-24                                                                                                                          | A.Y. 2024-25                                                                                                                          |
| 1                                                                                                                                     | Andaman &Nicobar                                                                                                                      | 260                                                                                                                                   | 173                                                                                                                                   | 281                                                                                                                                   |
| 2                                                                                                                                     | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                        | 40465                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                     | 0                                                                                                                                     |
| 3                                                                                                                                     | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                     | 5178                                                                                                                                  | 2852                                                                                                                                  | 2831                                                                                                                                  |
| 4                                                                                                                                     | Assam                                                                                                                                 | 5688                                                                                                                                  | 4353                                                                                                                                  | 8075                                                                                                                                  |
| 5                                                                                                                                     | Bihar                                                                                                                                 | 26450                                                                                                                                 | 8451                                                                                                                                  | 15139                                                                                                                                 |
| 6                                                                                                                                     | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                          | 28642                                                                                                                                 | 44837                                                                                                                                 | 27171                                                                                                                                 |
| 7                                                                                                                                     | DNH&DD                                                                                                                                | 2017                                                                                                                                  | 1273                                                                                                                                  | 1162                                                                                                                                  |
| 10                                                                                                                                    | Goa                                                                                                                                   | 2108                                                                                                                                  | 1670                                                                                                                                  | 1698                                                                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                                                                    | Gujarat                                                                                                                               | 157553                                                                                                                                | 121083                                                                                                                                | 124886                                                                                                                                |

| 12   | Himachal Pradesh   | 2479    | 2616   | 3260   |
|------|--------------------|---------|--------|--------|
| 13   | Jammu &Kashmir     | 4689    | 2548   | 8371   |
| 14   | Jharkhand          | 129269  | 114519 | 129142 |
| 15   | Karnataka          | 98705   | 97191  | 104211 |
| 16   | Kerala             | 7604    | 7323   | 10312  |
| 17   | Ladakh             | 760     | 2228   | 2029   |
| 18   | Madhya Pradesh     | 255944  | 259997 | 212347 |
| 19   | Manipur            | 1836    | 3470   | 3916   |
| 20   | Meghalaya          | 1588    | 5590   | 6149   |
| 21   | Mizoram            | 10312   | 8911   | 8807   |
| 22   | Nagaland           | *       | *      | *      |
| 23   | Odisha             | 79252   | 106691 | 122029 |
| 24   | Puducherry         | 21      | 11     | 14     |
| 25   | Rajasthan          | 73816   | 76272  | 57037  |
| 26   | Sikkim             | 49      | 62     | 377    |
| 27   | Tamil Nadu         | 15325   | 17557  | 19178  |
| 28   | Telangana          | 9255    | 2460   | *      |
| 29   | Tripura            | 15017   | 11601  | 12597  |
| 30   | Uttar Pradesh      | 1579    | 2329   | 3211   |
| 31   | Uttarakhand        | 1464    | 902    | *      |
| 32   | West Bengal        | 23979   | 21789  | 24333  |
|      | Total              | 1001304 | 928759 | 908563 |

*- beneficiary data not reported by State/UT

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