Jharkhand Government Initiates Land Title Drive Under Forest Rights Act

November 6, 2023

On November 6, the Jharkhand government launched a special campaign named “Abua Bir Dishom Abhiyan” with the goal of providing land title certificates to individuals and communities under the Forest Rights Act. This initiative is aimed at recognizing and securing the rights of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers to self-cultivation, habitation, and various other activities within forest areas. Here, we delve into the reasons behind this drive and the challenges it faces.

Why Now?

The decision to launch this campaign comes after a gap of nine years. The Jharkhand government cited data submitted to the Supreme Court, revealing that it had received 98,308 Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and 2,695 Community Forest Rights (CFR) applications since the state’s formation in November 2000. Out of these, only 60,021 IFR titles and 2,013 CFR titles have been granted, covering approximately 2.17 lakh acres of forest land. Comparatively, Chhattisgarh, which was formed around the same time as Jharkhand, has processed 9.28 lakh title claims and distributed 5.28 lakh titles as of June 30, 2023.

Government’s Approach

The Jharkhand government is determined to streamline the process of generating Forest Rights Act claims and distributing titles. To achieve this, it has established a dedicated website and mobile application to facilitate tracking of applications and verification of geotagged land parcels. Secretary of the Department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority, and Backward Class Welfare, Rajiv Arun Ekka, has instructed all 24 Deputy Commissioners to form or reconstitute Forest Rights Committees (FRC) at the village level. Additionally, monitoring committees will be established at the sub-divisional and district levels.

Last month, Deputy Commissioners were directed to organize Gram Sabhas in all villages within their districts to create FRCs in the presence of an observer. The next phase will involve conducting special Gram Sabhas in all villages from November 1 to 15, where both new and previously pending or rejected claims will be considered.

Challenges Ahead

Implementing the Forest Rights Act presents several challenges. One of the hurdles is shifting the mindset of some forest officials who view forest dwellers as encroachers. Overcoming this perception is essential to ensure justice for forest dwellers.

Policy-level implementation may also pose challenges. Currently, the verification of claims involves a circle officer and a forest ranger, but the titles must be granted by the district welfare officer. Hierarchical issues and a shortage of forest rangers may complicate the process. Additionally, the year 2024 will see elections for both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha in the state, adding a layer of complexity to the initiative. However, the government is actively seeking knowledge and technology partners with experience in similar projects to overcome these challenges.

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