Based on the National Committee on Forest Rights Act (FRA) recommendations, comprehensive guidelines and instructions have been issued, which highlight –

·        ensuring communication of the reasons to the claimant in the event of modification or rejection their claims;

·        non-rejection of a claim accompanied by any two forms of evidences specified in the Rules without giving reasons in writing and not to insist upon any particular form of evidence;

·        abolishing the monopoly of the Forest Corporations in the trade of MFPs;

·        exempting the movement of MFP from the requirement of transit permits;

The Forest Rights Rules have been amended in the year 2012 mainly to address the procedural lacunae that had been noticed while implementing the Forest Rights Rules, 2008.  These relate to –

v     reduction of the quorum of Gram Sabha from the present two-third to one half of the members and ensuring presence of at least fifty per cent of the claimants to forest rights where any resolution in respect of claims to forest rights are to be  passed and passing of such resolutions by a simple majority of those present and voting;

v     raising of the representation of Scheduled Tribes in the Forest Rights Committee from the present one-third to two-third;

v     communication of the decision for rejection or modification of claim to the claimant and giving a reasonable opportunity to the claimant to be heard in the case of filing of a petition;

v     non-rejection of claims accompanied by any two forms of evidences specified in Rules 13, without giving reasons in writing and non-insistence of any particular form of evidence for consideration of a claim and for considering the satellite imagery and other uses of technology as supplementing other form of evidence and not to be treated as a replacement;

v     modification of the transit permit regime in relation to transportation of minor forest produce and issue of transit permit through a Committee constituted by Gram Sabha or a person authorized by the Gram Sabha and making collection of MFP free of all royalties or fees or any other charges.

This information is given today by Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Ministry Shri Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava in Rajya Sabha.

SS (rules 31-07-2014)