Lok Sabha Question No. 2456 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-01
Subject: Forest Villages
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI, KANWAR SINGH TANWAR, LAXMAN GILUWA, VASANTHI M.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2016

## FOREST VILLAGES

## 2456.   SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI: SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR: SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA: SHRIMATI VASANTHI M.:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of tribal dominated forest villages/habitations and their population in the country at present, State/UT-wise;

(b) the number of such villages converted into revenue villages so far, State/ UT-wise;

(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to convert all the forest villages/habitations in the country into revenue villages and the time by which it is likely to be done, State/UT-wise;

(d)  whether the Government has any proposal to ensure that forest dwellers have the right to farming in the forests across the country and if so, the details thereof;

(e) the number of persons given ownership right so far under the rules framed by the Government for settlement of tribals in the forests, State/UT-wise; and

(f) the number of complaints received by the Government for non-transferring of ownership rights to the tribals during the last three years and the current year and the action taken by the Government thereon, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JASWANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR)

(a)  The number of Forest Villages, total population in the forest villages and ST population in the Forest Villages State/UT wise is at Annexure I.

(b) & (c) This Ministry has issued guidelines on conversion of forest villages, old habitations, unsurveyed villages etc. into revenue villages vide letter  No.23011/33/2010-FRA  dated 08.11.2013. Status of conversion of Forest Villages to Revenue Villages based on the information received from the State Governments is at Annexure-2.

- (d) Section 4(5) of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 provides specific safeguards against the eviction or removal of a member of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dwellers from  forest  land  under  his  occupation  till  the  recognition  and  verification  procedure  is complete. The Right to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition. Rehabilitation  and  Resettlement  Act  2013  also  provides  special  safeguards  for  Scheduled Tribes with regard to their land rights and livelihood.
- (e)   As per the information received from various State Governments /UT Administrations upto 31 st May,  2016,  17,46,338  titles  (17,02,846  individual  and  43,492  community)  have  been distributed. The State/UT-wise details is at Annexure-3.
- (f) Complaints are received from time to time regarding implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The onus of implementation of the Act lies with State/UT Governments which is an ongoing process. Hence, these complaints are referred to the respective State Government/UT Administrations for taking necessary action at their level. This Ministry constantly follows up with the concerned States/UTs and provides support by holding consultations in different parts of the county and clarify doubts whenever required. A list of complaints received and action taken by the Ministry is Annexure-4.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2456 for 01.08.2016 regarding 'Forest Villages'.

(Source: Census 2011)

| Sl. No.   | State Name               |   No. of Forest Villages |   Total Population in the forest village |   ST Population in the forest village |
|-----------|--------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 1         | Jammu &Kashmir           |                       41 |                                    82652 |                                 56539 |
| 2         | Uttarakhand              |                      421 |                                   187432 |                                  2538 |
| 3         | Uttar Pradesh            |                       89 |                                    44178 |                                  1523 |
| 4         | Sikkim                   |                       51 |                                     3691 |                                   893 |
| 5         | Assam                    |                      897 |                                   765098 |                                329445 |
| 6         | Jharkhand                |                       14 |                                     6575 |                                  5762 |
| 7         | Odisha                   |                       47 |                                     2544 |                                  2120 |
| 8         | Chhattisgarh             |                      658 |                                   217123 |                                179423 |
| 9         | Madhya Pradesh           |                     1165 |                                   737837 |                                635671 |
| 10        | Gujarat                  |                      162 |                                    38047 |                                 29624 |
| 11        | Maharashtra              |                       73 |                                    81675 |                                 80181 |
| 12        | Andhra Pradesh           |                        3 |                                      341 |                                   341 |
| 13        | Tamil Nadu               |                      736 |                                    23125 |                                  7764 |
| 14        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands |                      169 |                                    15693 |                                   441 |
|           | INDIA                    |                     4526 |                                  2206011 |                               1332265 |

## Annexure-2

Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) & (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2456 for 01.08.2016 regarding 'Forest Villages'.

## Status of conversion of  Forest Villages  to Revenue Villages as per  Forest Rights Act,2006 based on the  information received  from the State Governments.

|   S.No | Name of the State   | Forest village to Revenue village                                                                              |
|--------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|      1 | Madhya Pradesh      | 925 Forest Villages to be converted to Revenue Villages                                                        |
|      2 | Maharashtra         | All Forest villages except for 73 Villages in Nandurbar are in the process of conversion into revenue villages |
|      3 | Chhattisgarh        | 421 Forest villages converted to Revenue villages                                                              |
|      4 | West Bengal         | 86 Forest villages converted to Revenue villages                                                               |
|      5 | Odisha              | Recorded 22 Forest Villages and unsurveyed habitationsidentified for being converted to Revenue villages       |
|      6 | Gujarat             | Out of total 196 recorded forest settlement, 175 have been identified for conversion to Revenue villages       |
|      7 | Uttar Pradesh       | Out of total 12 recordedforest settlements, 6 have been converted to Revenue Villages.                         |

Annexure referred to in reply to part (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2456 for 01.08.2016 regarding 'Forest Villages'.

## State-wise details of titles distributed as on 31.5.2016

| States           | No. of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2016   | No. of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2016   | No. of Titles Distributed upto 31.05.2016   |
|------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|                  | Individual                                  | Community                                   | Total                                       |
| Andhra Pradesh   | 167,263                                     | 2,107                                       | 169,370                                     |
| Assam            | 35,407                                      | 860                                         | 36,267                                      |
| Bihar            | 222                                         | 0                                           | 222                                         |
| Chhattisgarh     | 347,789                                     | 0                                           | 347,789                                     |
| Gujarat          | 73,163                                      | 3,875                                       | 77,038                                      |
| Himachal Pradesh | 238                                         | 108                                         | 346                                         |
| Jharkhand        | 41,691                                      | 1,434                                       | 43,125                                      |
| Karnataka        | 8,159                                       | 144                                         | 8,303                                       |
| Kerala           | 24,599                                      | 0                                           | 24,599                                      |
| Madhya Pradesh   | 200,541                                     | 23,139                                      | 223,680                                     |
| Maharashtra      | 106,063                                     | 4,187                                       | 110,250                                     |
| Odisha           | 375,316                                     | 5,163                                       | 380,479                                     |
| Rajasthan        | 35,759                                      | 69                                          | 35,828                                      |
| Tamil Nadu       | 3,723                                       | 0                                           | 3,723                                       |
| Telangana        | 99,486                                      | 761                                         | 100,247                                     |
| Tripura          | 122,528                                     | 55                                          | 122,583                                     |
| Uttar Pradesh    | 17,712                                      | 843                                         | 18,555                                      |
| Uttarakhand      | 0                                           | 0                                           | 0                                           |
| West Bengal      | 43,187                                      | 747                                         | 43,934                                      |
| Total            | 1,702,846                                   | 43,492                                      | 1,746,338                                   |

## Annexure-4

Annexure referred to in reply to part (f) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2456 for 01.08.2016 regarding 'Forest Villages'.

|   S.No. | Name of the Complainant                                                                | Name of concerned State     | Nature of Complaint                                                                                  | Action Taken                                                                     |
|---------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Shri Basudeb Acharia, M.P., Leader CPI                                                 | Chhattisgarh                | Providing patta to the tribal population under FRA, 2006.                                            | Forwarded to State Govt. of Chhattisgarh for taking appropriate action           |
|       2 | MS. Priya Pillai, Policy Advisor, Greenpeace India                                     | Madhya Pradesh              | Non-implementation of FRA in area proposed for diversion for coal mine.                              | Forwarded to State Govt. ofMP for taking appropriate action.                     |
|       3 | Dr. AnandMurai, Ex. Gen. Sec. JPCC & Patron Jharkhand Adivasi Mahasabha                | Jharkhand                   | Charter of demands of tribal of Jharkhand State.                                                     | State Government of Jharkhand is requested to take action.                       |
|       4 | Shri K.A. Gunasekaran, Tribal People Council, Tamil Nadu                               | Tamil Nadu                  | Non-implementation of FRA.                                                                           | State Government of Tamil Nadu is requested to take action.                      |
|       5 | Shri R.D. Negi, Kinnaur Van Adhikaar Dharak Kissan Sangh                               | Himachal Pradesh            | Encroachment of the forest land.                                                                     | State Government of HP requested to take action.                                 |
|       6 | Shri Digvijay Singh, Gen. Secretary, AICC                                              | Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh | Demarcation of forest land and revenue land in the state.                                            | State Government of MP and Chhattisgarh were requested to take necessary action. |
|       7 | Shri Ramesh Nandwana, Coordinator, Jangal Zameen Jan Andolan, Udaipur                  | Rajasthan                   | Related to irregularities in the implementation of FRA.                                              | State Govt. of Rajasthan is requested to take action                             |
|       8 | Shri Kishore Kumar Parichha, Vice President, Odhia Kendupatra Karamchari Sangh, Odisha | Odisha                      | Non-implementation of FRA.                                                                           | State Govt. of Odisha requested to take action.                                  |
|       9 | Shri Anil Garg, Madhya Pradesh                                                         | Madhya Pradesh              | Non-implementation of FRA.                                                                           | MoEF and State Govt. of M.P. were requested to take action.                      |
|      10 | Ms. Archana Sivaramakrishnaan, Keystone Foundation                                     | Karnataka                   | Reg. destroying the honey processing equipment by Range Forest Officer.                              | State Govt. of Karnataka requested to take action.                               |
|      11 | Shri Sudhir Mungtiwar, President, BJP Maharashtra State                                | Maharashtra                 | Decision to seek the evidence in respect of the possession of forest land by ST in Maharashtra State | State Govt. of Maharashtra is requested to take action.                          |
|      12 | Nikunj Garg, new Darpan Social Welfare Society, Bhopal                                 | Madhya Pradesh              | Wrongly stating of De-notified Forest Land which falls under the scope of FRA, 2006.                 | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.                  |
|      13 | Sangmitra Dubey, Vasundhara, Bhubaneswar                                               | Odisha                      | Plantation being carried out on forest land recognized under FRA                                     | State Govt. of Odisha requested for appropriate action.                          |
|      14 | Sh. Karam Ram, Vill. Sirsi, Post and Distt. Hazaribagh, Jharkhand                      | Jharkhand                   | For providing Patta of of 2.05 acres                                                                 | State Govt. of Jharkhand is requested for appropriate action.                    |
|      15 | Sh. Muktilal Ekka and others of vill. Kantapali, Distt. Sundargarh, Odisha             | Odihas                      | Regarding rejection of claims under FRA                                                              | State Govt. of Odisha requested for appropriate action.                          |
|      16 | Villagers of Village Gond Binapal, Distt. Kanker, Chhattisgarh                         | Chhattisgarh                | Non taking decision on the community rights claims                                                   | State Govt. of Chhattisgarh requested for appropriate action.                    |
|      17 | Villagers of Village Aturbeda, Distt. Kanker, Chhattisgarh                             | Chhattisgarh                | Non taking decision on the community rights claims                                                   | State Govt. of Chhattisgarh requested for appropriate action.                    |

|   18 | Villagers of village Peepala, Distt. Pali, Rajasthan                                           | Rajasthan      | Non taking decision on claims submitted under FRA                            | State Govt. of Rajasthan requested for appropriate action.        |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   19 | 71 representations of different villagers of Ratlam Distt. of Madhya Pradesh                   | Madhya Pradesh | Regarding disposing off of long pending claims and objections under FRA      | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   20 | Villagers of Village Ishramtnada, Teh. and Distt. Khandava, M.P.                               | Madhya Pradesh | Rejection of claims under FRA by Block and Distt. Committee                  | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   21 | Kamal Kumar, President Forest Right Committee, Karnarthu, Village Fatahar, Distt. Kangra, H.P. | Himachal Pd.   | Non transfer of land for village development                                 | State Govt. of Himachal Pradesh requested for appropriate action. |
|   22 | Sh. Muktilal Ekka, Village Badgaon, Odisha                                                     | Odisha         | Allotment of land under FRA                                                  | State Govt. of Odisha requested for appropriate action.           |
|   23 | Villagers of village Khorari Teh. Majhgaon, Distt. Satna, M.P.                                 | Madhya Pd.     | Non-disposing of FRA claims                                                  | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   24 | President, Van Adhikar Samiti, Vill. Rajgarh, Distt. Sivani                                    | Madhya Pd.     | For disposing of individual FRA claims                                       | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   25 | Sh. Pushpanjali Satpathy, vill. Patrapalli, Distt. Jharsuguda, Odisha                          | Odisha         | Non receipt of community right under FRA                                     | State Govt. of Odisha requested for appropriate action.           |
|   26 | Sh. Umeshwar Singh, Coordinator, Hasdeo Arnaya Bachao Simiti, Distt. Korba, Chhattisgarh       | Chhattisgarh   | Regarding rejection of community claims of village Ghjatbari, Distt. Sarguja | State Govt. of Chhattisgarh requested for appropriate action.     |
|   27 | Sh. Ghathya, Vill. Sarai, Distt. Khandva, M.P.                                                 | Madhya Pradesh | Rejection of individual claims                                               | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   28 | Sh. Jedu Singh Netam, Gondwana Mahasabha, Ditt. Balaghat, M.P.                                 | Madhya Pradesh | Reg. approving the Divine Land as a community right.                         | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |
|   29 | 65 applications from different villagers of Ratlam Distt. of M.P.                              | Madhya Pradesh | Regarding disposing off of long pending claims and objections under FRA      | State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh requested for appropriate action.   |

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