Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells & Forest Rights Act 2006
Context:
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has initiated inquiries into the Odisha government’s recent directives to dissolve 50 subdivisional Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells and dismiss their support staff, while directing that pending claims be cleared by March-end
About FRA Cells and Recent Developments:
These cells were established under Central and State schemes to accelerate the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
They provide human resources to expedite the processing of forest rights, assist with record-keeping, and digitize existing forest rights titles.
The Central government’s Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA), launched in 2024, is a key scheme designed to help States form these FRA Cells.
Odisha previously engaged FRA Cell personnel at the district and tehsil levels under its own State scheme, the Mo Jungle Jami Yojana, before recently discontinuing their services.
While Odisha is recognized as a top performer—having issued the second-highest number of forest rights titles after Chhattisgarh—it currently has the sixth-highest pendency rate, with 20% of its 7.69 lakh filed claims still pending disposal.
Key Features of the Forest Rights Act, 2006:
The Act officially recognizes and vests forest rights and occupation in forest lands for forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and "other traditional forest dwellers" who have resided in such forests for generations.
It was enacted to rectify the historical injustice caused by the inadequate recognition of forest rights during the consolidation of State forests in colonial and independent India.
An "other traditional forest dweller" must have primarily resided in and depended on the forest for bona fide livelihood needs for at least three generations (defined as 25 years per generation) prior to December 13, 2005.
The Act establishes that the recognized rights of these communities naturally include the responsibilities and authority for sustainable use, biodiversity conservation, and the maintenance of ecological balance.