Lok Sabha Question No. 1274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-02
Subject: Forest Right Titles
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH, C. N. JAYADEVAN, KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1274

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.05.2016

## FOREST RIGHT TITLES

## 1274. DR. PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH: SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN: SHRI KALIKESH N. SINGH DEO:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of community forestright titles granted/distributed under theScheduled Tribes and other TraditionalForest Dwellers (Recognition of ForestRights Act, 2006) so far, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government iscognizant of the refusal of grant of rightsover minor forest products due to the overlapof the Forest Rights Act and Panchayat(Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and stepstaken by the Government to rectify theissue;
- (d) whether there have been notedinstances of imposition of royalty by StateGovernments on minor forest products andif so, the details thereof and corrective Stepstaken/being taken by the Government inthis regard;
- (e) whether the Government hascancelled forest rights of local villages incertain States including Chhattisgarh; and
- (f)       if so, the details and the reasonstherefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JUAL ORAM)

- (a)   The number of community forest right titles granted/ distributed under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA in short) State/UT wise so far is placed as Annex.
- (b)    &  (c)  There  is  no  conflict  between  Forest  Rights  Act  and  Panchayat  (Extension  to  Scheduled Areas) Act with regards to right over Minor Forest produce.  No such instance has been brought to Ministry of Tribal Affairs notice.
- (d)  FRA does not provide for royalty by State Governments on Minor Forest Products. As per Section 3(1)(c) of FRA, right of ownership, access to collect, use, and dispose offminor forest produce which has been traditionally collected within or outside village boundaries is one of the forest rights of Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers on all forest lands.
- (e)  No,  Madam.  The  Central  Government  has  not  cancelled  forest  rights  of  local  villages  in  certain States including Chhattisgarh. The process of recognition of rights starts with the Gram Sabha and is completed at the level of District level Committee. The Central Government cannot cancel forest rights of local villages of any State including Chhattisgarh.
- (f)   In view of reply to part (e) above, question does not arise.

## Annex

Statement  in  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  1274  tabled  by Dr.Prabhas Kumar Singh, Shri C.N.Jayadevan, Shri KalikeshN.SinghDeo regarding ' Forest Right Titles'to be answered on 02.05.2016.

| S. No.   | States           | Number of community forest right titles distributed till 29.02.2016   |
|----------|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh   | 2,107                                                                 |
| 2        | Assam            | 860                                                                   |
| 3        | Gujarat          | 3,875                                                                 |
| 4        | Himachal Pradesh | 108                                                                   |
| 5        | Jharkhand        | 1,434                                                                 |
| 6        | Karnataka        | 144                                                                   |
| 7        | Madhya Pradesh   | 21,909                                                                |
| 8        | Maharashtra      | 3,436                                                                 |
| 9        | Odisha           | 5,138                                                                 |
| 10       | Rajasthan        | 69                                                                    |
| 11       | Telangana        | 744                                                                   |
| 12       | Tripura          | 55                                                                    |
| 13       | Uttar Pradesh    | 843                                                                   |
| 14       | West Bengal      | 747                                                                   |
|          | Total            | 41,469                                                                |