Srinagar :Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, Friday inaugurated the 3rd Regional Review Conference on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, in Srinagar.
Addressing the conference, Rana emphasised the need for effective and meaningful implementation of the Forest Rights Act to ensure that the rights and entitlements of tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers are protected.
He said the Act is an important legislation aimed at recognising the legitimate rights of forest-dependent communities, safeguarding their livelihoods and ensuring their dignity and socio-economic empowerment.
The Minister observed that strenuous efforts are required to strengthen the implementation mechanism and ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive the rights guaranteed under the legislation.
Rana said the Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has taken important steps towards strengthening implementation of the Act, including designating the Tribal Affairs Department as the nodal department for its implementation in Jammu and Kashmir.
He stressed that the Forest Rights Act must be understood as a legal entitlement of eligible forest-dwelling communities and that its benefits should reach every deserving family through a transparent and accessible process.
He said that while conferences at the national and regional levels provide valuable opportunities for reviewing progress and sharing experiences, their real purpose can only be achieved when the knowledge, decisions and recommendations emerging from such deliberations reach the communities at the grassroots level.
The Minister also called for greater coordination among the Tribal Affairs, Revenue, Forest and Rural Development Departments, along with district administrations, to ensure smooth implementation and timely resolution of pending matters.
He underlined that the disposal of claims must be fair and transparent and that no eligible beneficiary should be deprived of legitimate rights due to procedural difficulties or lack of awareness.
Highlighting the contribution of tribal communities, particularly the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities, Rana said that these communities have shared a close relationship with forests for generations and have contributed significantly to the preservation of traditional knowledge, natural resources and ecological balance.
He said that recognising forest rights and protecting the environment are complementary responsibilities and must be pursued together through a balanced and people-oriented approach.
The Minister further emphasised that the recommendations and experiences shared during the conference should be properly documented and made available to field-level officers so that they can be translated into practical improvements in implementation.
The conference was attended by Anant Prakash Pandey, Union Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, senior officers of the Ministry, representatives from participating States and senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
During the technical sessions, detailed discussions were held on the status of pending forest rights claims, recognition of individual and community forest rights, habitat rights, incorporation of recognised forest rights in revenue and forest records, digitisation of FRA records and the proposed National FRA Portal.
Representatives from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir shared their experiences, progress and practices relating to the implementation of the Act.
The conference concluded with deliberations on improving implementation mechanisms, strengthening institutional coordination and taking forward the recommendations for ensuring that the objectives of the Forest Rights Act are achieved in letter and spirit.
