Lok Sabha Question No. 3553 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-11
Subject: Development of Forest Villages
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JYOTI DHURVE

OIH

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3553**

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2015

**Development of Forest Villages**

3553. SHRIMATI  JYOTI DHURVE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHNAGE be pleased to state:

(a)	whether the tribals living in the forest area are playing an important role in the field 	of conservation of environment by protecting the forests;

(b)	if so, the efforts being made by the Government to protect and develop forest 	villages; and

(c)	the details of the amount sanctioned by the Government for various States including 	Madhya Pradesh along with the amount spent during each of the last three years in 	this regard, State-wise?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

|      | Yes Sir. The forest dwellers including tribals play an important role in the protection, conservation and development of forest.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| &(c) | The Ministry of Tribal Affairs had implemented a programme for development of forest villages from 2005-06 to 2011-12, as a one-time measure for integrated development of 2474 forest villages/ habitations spread over twelve States.  There are 893 forest villages in Madhya Pradesh. A statement showing funds released under the said programme is at  **Annexure-I.**  No funds have been released during last three years as the programme is not in existence.  Further, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognizes the settlement and conversion of forest villages, whether recorded notified or not, into revenue villages as a forest right. The said Act also provides that the forest rights shall be conferred free of all encumbrances and procedural requirements including clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also issued guidelines on 8.11.2013 regarding conversion of all forest villages, old habitations, unsurveyed villages and other villages in forests, whether recorded, notified or not into revenue villages under section 3(1) (h) of the said Act. |

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**ANNEXURE – I**

**STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE PART (b) & (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED Q. NO. 3553 DUE FOR REPLY ON 11.08.2015 ASKED BY SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF FOREST VILLAGES**

**Statement showing fund released under the Programme of ‘Development of Forest Villages’ under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCA to TSP) during 2007-08 to 2011-12**

(Rs. in lakh)

| **S. N.**   | **States**     | **2007-08**   | **2008-09**   | **2009-10**   | **2010-11**   | **2011-12**   |
|-------------|----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| 1           | Assam          | 0.00          | 4696.05       | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 2           | Chhattisgarh   | 1034.00       | 0.00          | 0.00          | 1500.00       | 1297.18       |
| 3           | Gujarat        | 593.62        | 0.00          | 0.00          | 1351.96       | 0.00          |
| 4           | Jharkhand      | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 5           | Madhya Pradesh | 2829.00       | 6502.50       | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 6           | Meghalaya      | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 7           | Mizoram        | 190.00        | 435.00        | 0.00          | 0.00          | 202.50        |
| 8           | Odisha         | 0.00          | 180.00        | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 9           | Tripura        | 0.00          | 558.00        | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 10          | Uttarakhand    | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| 11          | Uttar Pradesh  | 0.00          | 30.00         | 0.00          | 151.14        | 0.00          |
| 12          | West Bengal    | 0.00          | 2550.00       | 0.00          | 0.00          | 0.00          |
| **Total**   |                | **4646.62**   | **14951.55**  | **0.00**      | **3003.10**   | **1499.68**   |