Relevance: GS II (Social Justice, Governance) & GS III (Environment); Source: The Hindu / Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Context: From Rights to Reality

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is pushing for a major shift in how India’s forests are managed. It is in talks with the Environment Ministry (MoEFCC) to directly fund Gram Sabhas and tribal communities. The goal is to give them the financial muscle to manage their forests, not just hold legal titles on paper.

The Core Issue

Under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, many tribal communities have been granted Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights.

  • The Right: This gives them legal ownership and the duty to protect forests.
  • The Problem: While they have the right, they lack the funds to hire guards, plant trees, or fight fires. Currently, most money sits with the Forest Department.
  • The Solution: The government plans to channel environmental funds directly to CFR Management Committees run by villagers, enabling true self-governance.

Why This Matters

  1. True Decentralization: It empowers the Gram Sabha (village assembly) as the primary decision-maker, reducing dependence on forest officials.
  2. Livelihood + Conservation: Communities depend on the forest for survival, so they often protect it better than external guards. This aligns conservation with livelihood.
  3. Constitutional Fulfillment: It operationalizes the vision of the PESA Act and Article 46, ensuring tribal self-rule.

UPSC Value Box: Key Facts

TermWhat you need to know
Nodal MinistryMinistry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is the nodal agency for implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA), not the Environment Ministry.
Gram SabhaThe supreme authority under FRA to initiate claims and manage forest resources.
CFR RightsCommunity Forest Resource rights allow communities to manage forests for sustainable use (e.g., collecting honey, bamboo), not just inhabit them.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

  1. With reference to the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, consider the following statements:
  1. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency for its implementation.
  2. The Gram Sabha is the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of forest rights.
  3. It recognizes the rights of forest dwellers to protect and manage their community forest resources.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)

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