Srinagar, Oct 23 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs Javed Rana on Friday said the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, in the Union Territory remained slow compared with other states and called for greater efforts to ensure that eligible tribal communities receive their legitimate rights.

 

Addressing the 3rd Regional Review Conference on the Forest Rights Act, 2006, minister Rana as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) said the Omar Abdullah-led government had designated the Tribal Affairs Department as the nodal department for the implementation of the Act, replacing the earlier arrangement under which the Forest Department handled the process. Despite steps taken to streamline implementation, the process continued to face delays, he said, stressing that the Act must be treated as a legal entitlement rather than a concession to tribal communities.

 

"The Forest Rights Act should not be seen as a favour to any community. It is a law enacted by Parliament to ensure that eligible people receive their rightful benefits," minister Rana said.

 

He observed that the implementation process had suffered from a lack of urgency and alleged that certain forces and agencies had contributed to disrupting efforts to resolve issues related to forest rights. Referring to complaints about the removal of tribal shelters and other structures without following due legal procedures, the minister said the Tribal Affairs Department had issued a circular directing that action against tribal communities must adhere to the prescribed legal process.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

 

The National conference leader said the growing recognition of the Act at the field level was encouraging but emphasised that its implementation required sustained administrative efforts and wider public awareness. He called for the review process to be extended beyond the Union Territory level to districts, blocks and panchayats, saying that meaningful progress would depend on effective implementation at the grassroots.

 

"Unless these discussions reach the district, block and panchayat levels, it will be difficult to achieve the desired results on the ground," he said.

 

The minister also urged the organisers to compile the recommendations and suggestions emerging from the conference into a publication and circulate it among field-level officials to improve understanding of the Act and its implementation.

 

Highlighting the contributions of tribal and nomadic communities to the country's unity and integrity, Rana said their historical sacrifices and role in society deserved recognition and that protecting their basic rights was a responsibility of the government. He noted that the inclusion of additional communities in the Scheduled Tribe category in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years had further underscored the need for effective implementation of the law.

 

Minister Rana said concerted efforts were required to ensure that the benefits and protections envisaged under the Forest Rights Act reached all eligible communities in Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS)