Lok Sabha Question No. 4113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Implementation of Forest Rights Act
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4113

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## Implementation of Forest Rights Act

## 4113.  ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government maintains updated records of individual and community forest rights claims under Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006;
- (b) the number of pending claims along with the reasons for delay in approval, State-wise;
- (c) whether tribal Gram Sabhas are empowered to make final decisions on claims;
- (d) the steps taken to prevent eviction of traditional forest dwellers without due process;
- (e) whether any States have been found violating FRA provisions, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the plans to train local forest officials on FRA compliance and conflict resolution?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) & (b) As  per  the  provisions  of  'The  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006' and Rules there under, the State Governments are responsible for implementation of various provisions of the Act. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal Ministry for monitoring the implementation of the Act.

The  filing  and  processing  of  claims  and  distribution  of  titles  is  a  continuous process.  The  detailed  status  of  these  claims  are  maintained  by  the  Ministry  of Tribal Affairs, based on the Monthly Progress Reports received from the States / UTs. The detailed status as on 30.05.2025 is placed at Annexure-I .

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs have informed that the lack of awareness among claimants  is  a  challenge  in  the  implementation  of  the  Act.  In  this  regard,  the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been encouraging States to fast-track the processing and  disposal  of  pending  claims  through  consultation/meetings/workshop  with States/UTs.

- (c) As stipulated in Section 6(6) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the final decision on claims lies with the District Level Committee.
- (d) As per provisions of Section 4(5) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, no member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dwellers shall be evicted or removed from the forest land under occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.
- (e) Since the State/ UTs are responsible for implementation of the Act, the Grievances and representations received in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are forwarded to the concerned State / UTs. Further, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been urging all State Governments to abide by the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and ensure timely disposal of the claims.
- (f) Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been advising States, District Administrations and State Forest Departments to conduct awareness campaign among all stakeholders on  the  implementation  of  the  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

***

Annexure Annexure referred to in reply of part (a) to (b) Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4113 due for answer on 18.08.2025 regarding 'Implementation of Forest Rights Act'.

Statement of Claims received and Distribution of title deeds, rejected claims and pending claims under 'The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006' as on 31.05.2025, as reported by the States/UT:

| S. No.   | States           | Number of 31.05.2025   | Number of 31.05.2025     | Number of 31.05.2025   | upto Number of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2025   | upto Number of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2025   | upto Number of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2025   | Number of Claims Rejected   | Total No. of Claims Pending   |
|----------|------------------|------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
| S. No.   | States           |                        | IndividualCommunityTotal |                        |                                                     | IndividualCommunityTotal                            |                                                     | Number of Claims Rejected   | Total No. of Claims Pending   |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh   | 285,098                | 3,294                    | 288,392                | 226,651                                             | 1,822                                               | 228,473                                             | 58,410                      | 1,509                         |
| 2        | Assam            | 148,965                | 6,046                    | 155,011                | 57,325                                              | 1,477                                               | 58,802                                              | NA/NR                       | 96,209                        |
| 3        | Bihar            | 4,696                  | 0                        | 4,696                  | 191                                                 | 0                                                   | 191                                                 | 4,496                       | 9                             |
| 4        | Chhattisgarh     | 890,220                | 57,259                   | 947,479                | 481,432                                             | 52,636                                              | 534,068                                             | 406,787                     | 6,624                         |
| 5        | Goa              | 9,757                  | 379                      | 10,136                 | 856                                                 | 15                                                  | 871                                                 | 447                         | 8,818                         |
| 6        | Gujarat          | 183,055                | 7,187                    | 190,242                | 98,732                                              | 4,792                                               | 103,524                                             | 2,331                       | 84,387                        |
| 7        | Himachal Pradesh | 4,883                  | 683                      | 5,566                  | 662                                                 | 146                                                 | 808                                                 | 54                          | 4,704                         |
| 8        | Jharkhand        | 107,032                | 3,724                    | 110,756                | 59,866                                              | 2,104                                               | 61,970                                              | 28,107                      | 20,679                        |
| 9        | Karnataka        | 288,549                | 5,940                    | 294,489                | 14,981                                              | 1,345                                               | 16,326                                              | 253,269                     | 24,894                        |
| 10       | Kerala           | 44,455                 | 1,014                    | 45,469                 | 29,422                                              | 282                                                 | 29,704                                              | 12,835                      | 2,930                         |
| 11       | Madhya Pradesh   | 585,326                | 42,187                   | 627,513                | 266,901                                             | 27,976                                              | 294,877                                             | 322,407                     | 10,229                        |
| 12       | Maharashtra      | 397,897                | 11,259                   | 409,156                | 199,667                                             | 8,668                                               | 208,335                                             | 172,631                     | 28,190                        |
| 13       | Odisha           | 701,148                | 35,024                   | 736,172                | 462,067                                             | 8,832                                               | 470,899                                             | 144,636                     | 120,637                       |
| 14       | Rajasthan        | 113,162                | 5,213                    | 118,375                | 49,215                                              | 2,551                                               | 51,766                                              | 65,921                      | 688                           |
| 15       | Tamil Nadu       | 33,119                 | 1,548                    | 34,667                 | 15,442                                              | 1,066                                               | 16,508                                              | 12,711                      | 5,448                         |
| 16       | Telangana        | 651,822                | 3,427                    | 655,249                | 230,735                                             | 721                                                 | 231,456                                             | 94,426                      | 329,367                       |
| 17       | Tripura          | 200,557                | 164                      | 200,721                | 127,931                                             | 101                                                 | 128,032                                             | 68,848                      | 3,841                         |
| 18       | Uttar Pradesh    | 92,972                 | 1,194                    | 94,166                 | 22,537                                              | 893                                                 | 23,430                                              | 70,736                      | 0                             |
| 19       | Uttarakhand      | 3,587                  | 3,091                    | 6,678                  | 184                                                 | 1                                                   | 185                                                 | 6,493                       | 0                             |
| 20       | West Bengal      | 131,962                | 10,119                   | 142,081                | 44,444                                              | 686                                                 | 45,130                                              | 96,587                      | 364                           |
| 21       | Jammu& Kashmir   | 33,233                 | 12,857                   | 46,090                 | 429                                                 | 5,591                                               | 6,020                                               | 39,924                      | 146                           |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL            | 4,911,495              |                          | 211,6095,123,104       | 2,389,670                                           |                                                     | 121,7052,511,3751,862,056                           |                             | 749,673                       |