Samarthan is organizing a state level consultation on 26th October 2010 in Hotel Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, VIP Road, Bhopal, to share the findings of the study titled “‘Recognition of Community Rights Under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act’- Bottlenecks and Way Forward” and to exchange experiences from other states where similar work on community rights under FRA has been undertaken. The consultation will also discuss the ‘way forward’ with respect to the Act.
Government of India took note of the relationship of the tribes and the forest resources and enacted the Scheduled Tribe and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Forest Rights Act) 2006. The Act makes a provision of user rights for the traditional community resources or lands which the tribes or other traditional forest dwellers had been using since generations. Samarthan conducted a study on the “Recognition of Community Rights Under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act”- Bottlenecks and Way Forward” in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, covering 10 districts, with support from UNDP to identify key issues, achievements and areas of improvements for effective implementation of FRA. The study team was guided by an experienced Advisory Committee at different stages. The first draft was shared with the Advisory Committee and study report has been improvised accordingly.
