- Forest Rights Act, 2006, provides for the restitution of deprived forest rights across India. The Act provides a scope for integrating conservation and livelihood rights of the people.
- FRA is a tool:
- To empower and strengthen the local self-governance
- To address the livelihood security of the people
- To address the issues of Conservation and management of the Natural Resources and conservation governance of India.
- For the first time Forest Rights Act recognizes and secures
- Community Rights in addition to their individual rights
- Right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource which the communities have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use.
- Right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge related to biodiversity and cultural diversity
- Rights of displaced communities & Rights over developmental activities
- Salient Features
- This Act is applicable for Tribal and Other Traditional Forest Dwelling Communities.
- The Act provides for recognition of forest rights of other traditional forest dwellers provided they have for at least three generations prior to 13.12.2005 primarily resided in and have depended on the forests for bonafide livelihood needs.
- The maximum limit of the recognizing rights on forest land is 4 ha.
- National Parks and Sanctuaries have been included along with Reserve Forest, Protected Forests for the recognition of Rights.
- The Act recognizes the right of ownership access to collect, use, and dispose of minor forest produce by tribals.
- Minor forest produce includes all non-timber forest produce of plant origin.
- The rights conferred under the Act shall be heritable but not alienable or transferable.
- As per the Act, the Gram Sabha has been designated as the competent authority for initiating the process of determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights.
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