Context:
Jenu Kuruba, a tribe known for traditionally collecting honey and forest produce, have made occupation to assert their rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA).
Forest Rights Act, 2006:
- Official Name: Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Objective: Recognizes and legally grants forest rights to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) who have depended on forests for at least three generations or 75 years before December 13, 2005.
- Rights Granted Under FRA –
- Land rights: Up to 4 hectares of forest land for self-cultivation and habitation.
- Grazing rights: Allows livestock grazing.
- Rights to collect minor forest produce (MFP).
- Rights to protect and manage forests.
- Heritable rights: Registered in the names of both spouses (if married), but cannot be sold or transferred.
- Exemption from prior clearance under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
- Role of Gram Sabha –
- Initiates identification and verification of forest rights.
- Hears claims and passes resolutions accordingly.
- Appeals Mechanism – If dissatisfied, individuals can appeal to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee set up by the State.
Source: TOI
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas.
2. As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce.
3. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct:
The Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill 2018 permits felling and transit of bamboo grown in non-forest areas. However, bamboo grown on forest lands would continue to be classified as a tree and would be guided by the existing legal restrictions.