{"id":256562,"date":"2023-08-18T20:59:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-18T15:29:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=256562"},"modified":"2023-08-29T12:53:31","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T07:23:31","slug":"forest-rights-act-in-jammu-and-kashmir-a-transformation-in-the-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/forest-rights-act-in-jammu-and-kashmir-a-transformation-in-the-making\/","title":{"rendered":"Forest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir: A transformation in the making"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source:<\/strong> The post is based on the article \u201cForest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir: A transformation in the making\u201d<\/strong> published in \u201cThe Indian Express\u201d<\/strong> on 18th August 2023.<\/p>\n

Syllabus:<\/strong> GS2- mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of the vulnerable sections<\/p>\n

News:<\/strong> In this article author discusses the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and its importance for tribal communities. J&K took longer to implement FRA, which recognizes tribal rights over forests. Since 2021, efforts have been made to grant these rights, but challenges remain.<\/p>\n

About India\u2019s tribal population<\/strong><\/h2>\n

2011 Census:<\/strong><\/p>\n

India’s tribal population estimated at 104.5 million.<\/p>\n

Tribals constitute 8.6% of the country’s total population.<\/p>\n

Jammu and Kashmir Tribes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tribes make up about 12% of J&K’s population.<\/p>\n

Ethnic migratory pastoral population stands at 612,000.<\/p>\n

Major tribes: Gujjars, Bakerwals, Gaddi, Sippi, Dard-Shin, and Bot.<\/p>\n

These communities rely on livestock husbandry and biannual migration.<\/p>\n

About Forest Rights Act (FRA)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Forest Rights Act (FRA) recognizes tribal rights over forests.<\/p>\n

Originally enacted in 2006, implemented in 2008.<\/p>\n

Jammu & Kashmir began FRA implementation in 2021.<\/p>\n

Since September 2021 to May 2023, 4,500 titles issued in J&K.<\/p>\n

60,000 families in J&K benefited.<\/p>\n

What are the benefits of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) for tribal communities?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Land and Resource Rights:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Acknowledges tribal communities’ rights over forests.<\/p>\n

    Over 4,500 titles issued from September 2021 to May 2023.<\/p>\n

    60,000 families in J&K have accessed forest land\/resources.<\/p>\n

    44.59% of the 9,423 claimants given titles for community forest resources.<\/p>\n

    December 2022 policy allows tribes to use non-timber forest produce.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Access to Services and Infrastructure:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      FRA facilitates services like healthcare, education, energy, and connectivity.<\/p>\n

      Tribes can avail essential services improving overall well-being.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Community Empowerment and Participation:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Stresses on a community-led approach.<\/p>\n

        Only 7.43% of claims declined at higher administrative levels.<\/p>\n

        Acts against historic deprivation and exclusion faced by tribal communities.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Addressing Unique Tribal Challenges:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Safeguards interests and seasonal migrations of J&K’s large migratory pastoral population.<\/p>\n

          Efforts in place to support tribes with low literacy rates and socio-cultural challenges.<\/p>\n

          What challenges exist in implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          1. Documentation Difficulties:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Low disposal rate of individual rights shows many can’t prove eligibility.<\/p>\n

            More than 92.57% of rejected claims declined by the Gram Sabha.<\/p>\n

            Tribes face challenges in producing required records.<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Geographic and Lifestyle Barriers:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              The unique migratory pattern of tribes complicates FRA implementation.<\/p>\n

              Difficult terrains and geographical barriers in J&K pose challenges.<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Literacy and Socio-Cultural Issues:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Low literacy rates hinder understanding and use of FRA: less than 50% among the tribal population, and just 16.74% among migratory tribes.<\/p>\n

                Local socio-cultural nuances can complicate the act’s adoption.<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Community Participation:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  Absence of strong leadership from within the community.<\/p>\n

                  Gram Sabha, with tribal members, declined a significant number of claims, pointing to potential internal community disagreements or lack of understanding.<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. Outsider Perception:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    Many who overlooked the deprivation of rights in J&K questioned the delay in rights conferment after the FRA rollout, showing a lack of long-term engagement.<\/p>\n

                    What steps should be taken?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                    Empower from Within:<\/strong> Promote community-led FRA implementation to ensure tribal engagement.<\/p>\n

                    Education and Awareness:<\/strong> Address low literacy rates (less than 50% among tribes, 16.74% among migratory tribes) with literacy and FRA-awareness programs.<\/p>\n

                    Streamlined Documentation:<\/strong> Simplify the process for tribes to prove eligibility and claim rights.<\/p>\n

                    Capacity Building:<\/strong> Strengthen the Gram Sabha’s understanding of FRA, given 92.57% of rejected claims happened at this level.<\/p>\n

                    Robust Outreach:<\/strong> The Tribal Affairs Department, NGOs, and youth groups should intensify efforts, ensuring tribes understand and utilize their rights.<\/p>\n

                    Address Socio-Cultural Barriers:<\/strong> Recognize and accommodate unique migratory patterns and socio-cultural challenges of tribes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Source: The post is based on the article \u201cForest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir: A transformation in the making\u201d published in \u201cThe Indian Express\u201d on 18th August 2023. Syllabus: GS2- mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of the vulnerable sections News: In this article author discusses the Forest Rights… Continue reading Forest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir: A transformation in the making<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230,9],"tags":[212,8131],"class_list":["post-256562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","category-public","tag-gs-paper-2","tag-social-issues","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256562\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}