UNDP Report on Forest Rights Act Progress
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released a report in 2025 analysing the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in India. The report marks the need for a consensus on a sunset clause to set an end date for recognising and vesting rights under the FRA. It also recommends measures for improved governance and management after rights are granted. The FRA, enacted in 2006, aims to recognise rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over forest land and resources.
Background
The FRA recognises individual and community rights over forest land. So far, titles have been distributed over 2.32 crore acres, with 1.88 crore acres under community rights. However, this is only about 18% of the estimated 9.88 crore acres potentially eligible for community rights. The slow uptake is attributed to historical conflicts, policy gaps, and jurisdictional issues.
State-Level and Challenges
The UNDP report studied FRA implementation in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. All three states expressed the need for an end date to the recognition process. Officials admitted that some individual titles were incorrectly recognised, and efforts are ongoing to rectify records. Missing titles and poor record-keeping were reported, especially in Chhattisgarh, denoting the need for centralised and accurate data systems.
Governance
Conflicts between tribal welfare and forest departments have hindered forest governance. The report calls for high-level inter-departmental committees to resolve these issues. It stresses clarity on when Gram Sabha-approved forest management plans should be integrated with forest department working plans. This integration is crucial to advance community forest resource management.
Gender Equity
The report emphasises placing gender equity at the core of FRA implementation. It recommends collecting gender-disaggregated data and promoting women’s leadership in community forest management. Linking FRA with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is suggested to support gender-sensitive livelihood options. Recognising forest rights holders as a distinct category in social protection schemes is also advised.
Policy Recommendations
The UNDP urges the formulation of a National Tribal Policy for the next five years. It suggests exploring Article 275(1) of the Constitution to fund the integration of FRA with related laws like PESA for better tribal governance. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ programmes like PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA have shown leadership but require long-term support for sustained impact.
Intellectual Property
Section 3(1)(k) of the FRA recognises community rights over biodiversity and traditional knowledge. The report notes a lack of data on claims related to intellectual property and suggests exploring monetisation potential. It also calls for clearer policies on ownership, harvesting, transit, and sale of minor forest produce (MFP). Despite Centre guidelines on minimum support prices, many states have hesitated to deregulate key forest products like bamboo and tendu. Clarification is needed on whether individual rights holders can sell MFP directly to private buyers.
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