Indian Wildlife Club Forum

Tribal rights Bill Passed

The law which gives tribals rights to forest land is expected to cover nearly ten lakh tribals and traditional forest-dwellers living in 87 districts of the country. Only those who have been residing in forests for three generations or 75 years will be eligible to claim land. Each such family would be entitled to four hectares of forest land. The total land that dwellers are estimated to get is two percent of the forest land.

But the government has retained the power to acquire forest land with tribals for the construction of schools, hospitals and to provide other basic facilities.

 Rights over land and minor produce

 The gram sabha will determine the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights. The gram sabha will then pass a resolution for conferring the rights and it will be forwarded to a Sub-Divisional level committee. The rights will be conferred by a District Level Committee to be apointed by the state government.

Source: The Hindustan Times and The Indian Express