Open Access Research Article
ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT, 2006: PROGRESS, CHALLENGES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Abstract
The
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act or FRA) was enacted to address the
historical exclusion of forest-dwelling communities from rights over land and
forest resources. This article examines whether the Act’s legal design can
translate recognition of rights into effective and accountable community
governance. It uses doctrinal legal research, analysing the Act, the 2008 Rules
as amended, relevant Supreme Court decisions and official implementation
material, with published village studies used as illustrative secondary
evidence. The analysis finds that the FRA is more than a land-title statute: it
recognises individual and community rights, places the Gram Sabha at the
beginning of the claims process, and couples rights with conservation
responsibilities. Yet its promise is weakened by uneven implementation,
inadequate reasons and review in claim decisions, administrative resistance,
limited capacity, and the gap between title recognition and actual control over
forest produce and management. The article argues that implementation should be
assessed through procedural fairness, effective enjoyment of rights, community
participation and ecological accountability rather than title counts alone. It
recommends reasoned claim decisions, accessible records, adequately resourced
Gram Sabhas, coordination among departments, and regular public reporting that
distinguishes claims filed, decided, recognised, rejected and pending.
Keywords:
Forest Rights Act, Gram Sabha, Community Forest Resource, Forest Governance,
Tribal Rights.
Published Paper
Author Details
Authors: R. RAMAKRISHNANRegistration ID: 1013634 | Published Paper ID: IJLRA13634Approved ISSN: 2582-6433 | Country: Delhi, India
Article Information
ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT, 2006: PROGRESS, CHALLENGES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Authors: R. RAMAKRISHNAN
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Volume 3
- Issue 8
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- AbbreviationIJLRA
- ISSN2582-6433
- AccessOpen Access
- LicenseCC 4.0
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