Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, on Monday directed the officials to expedite and streamline the compliance mechanism under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting held at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu to assess the progress on Act’s implementation in the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Commissioner Secretary Forests, Ecology & Environment, Sheetal Nanda; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Sarvesh Rai; Secretary Tribal Affairs Department, Prasanna Ramaswamy G; Director Tribal Affairs J&K, Mohd. Mumtaz Ali; Director Finance, Tribal Affairs Department, Iftikhar Chouhan and Nodal Officer, Tribal Research Institute, Dr. Abdul Khabir, among others.
Emphasising the need for a more efficient and transparent framework, the Minister instructed the officials to accelerate the recognition of forest rights and ensure prompt operationalisation of Forest Rights Act (FRA) cells at the district level. He noted that these cells play a pivotal role in facilitating claim documentation, ensuring inter-departmental coordination and enabling timely uploading of records.
“The formation of FRA cells must be fast-tracked. The entire process should be time-bound, coordinated and people-centric, with clearly defined accountability at every stage to safeguard the interests of tribal communities,” Rana said.
Highlighting the importance of inter-departmental synergy, the Minister called for seamless convergence between the revenue, forest and tribal affairs departments to eliminate procedural delays and administrative bottlenecks that hinder effective implementation.
It is pertinent to mention that Jammu and Kashmir Government has designated the Tribal Affairs Department as the nodal agency for implementing the Act, replacing the Forest Department in this role. The legislation aims to address the long standing concerns of the forest-dwelling communities by recognising both individual and community rights over forest land and resources for Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.
Seeking greater transparency and accountability, Rana directed the officials to compile comprehensive data on rejected claims, along with detailed reasons for such rejections. This, he said, would help ensure that the genuine beneficiaries are not excluded and enable corrective measures wherever necessary.
The Minister further underscored the critical role of Gram Sabhas in the process, stressing the need for adequate and meaningful representation of tribal communities in these grassroots institutions, which are responsible for verifying and recommending the claims under the Act.
Calling for intensified outreach, Rana instructed the officials to strengthen awareness campaigns so that eligible beneficiaries are fully informed about their rights and the procedures for filing claims. He emphasised the need for district-level awareness drives and training programmes to educate the communities about their entitlements under the Act.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to protect the rights and welfare of tribal populations, the Minister called for regular monitoring, periodic reviews and strict adherence to timelines to ensure effective and timely implementation of the Forest Rights Act across Jammu and Kashmir.