In joint communique, State govt. directed to expedite implementation of Forest Rights Act

There is concern over the Centre abdicating its role in the process

There is a new ray of hope for thousands of Adivasis and other forest-dwelling tribes in the State on the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 — also called the Forest Rights Act (FRA) — which recognises their rights to forest resources for livelihood and other needs. This follows a joint communique issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs calling for expeditious implementation of the Act by all the States “in letter and spirit”. The communique, dated July 6, also directs the State Tribal Welfare Department and Forest Department to jointly work out a strategic framework in consultation with the Department of Rural Development to ensure extension of benefits under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Rural Livelihood Mission to forest dwellers.