JHARKHAND TRIBAL GRAM SABHA: FOREST GOVERNANCE DYNAMICS UNDER FRA 2006
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i6.2024.3568Keywords:
Jharkhand, Tribal, Gram Sabha, Forest Rights ActAbstract [English]
Jharkhand tribal Gramme Sabha Forest governance under the 2006 Forest Rights Act (FRA) is examined in this study. A key law, the FRA, protects forest-dwelling communities, particularly indigenous tribes, from losing their ancestral lands and resources. Within the FRA 2006, the study examines the Jharkhand Tribal Gramme Sabha's effects on local communities, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable forest management. It examines tribal Gramme Sabha responsibilities, obstacles, and decision-making to understand forest governance dynamics and indigenous community empowerment in Jharkhand. In Jharkhand, a forest-rich state, the 2006 Forest Rights Act sought to right historical wrongs against indigenous communities. This legislation gave Scheduled Tribes (ST) and traditional forest dwellers more control over local forests and resources. The Panchayati Raj Act, which limits local self-governing bodies' autonomy, has hampered FRA implementation in Jharkhand. Individual and community forest rights are recognized by the FRA to promote sustainable forest management and conservation and protect forest-dependent people. It takes a Gramme Sabha-level process to assert these rights, making verification and approval difficult. The Forest Rights Act has increased forest cover in Jharkhand despite these challenges. Forest cover has increased in Ranchi and East Singh hum, demonstrating the law's benefits. In some locations, issues remain, emphasizing the need to safeguard traditional forest rights. The Forest Rights Act is a major step towards empowering indigenous tribes in Jharkhand and closing historical injustices, but it requires ongoing efforts to ensure equitable distribution and sustainable management of forest resources for forest-dependent communities.
References
Gulzar, Saad, Apoorva Lal, and Benjamin Pasquale. "Representation and forest conservation: Evidence from India’s scheduled areas." American Political Science Review (2021): 1-20.
Hebbar, Ritambhara. "Forest Rights Act: Lessons from the Field."
Sahoo, U. K., & Sahu, G. (2019). Twelve Years Later: Implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006. The Indian Journal of Social Work, 80(4), pp. 423-438. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32444/IJSW.2019.80.4.423-438
The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005, CommonLii, Accessed on 5 th March 2022, http://www.commonlii.org/in/other/INPRSLS/tstofrb2005lb634
Elias M., Grosse A., Campbell N., 2020. Unpacking ‘gender’ in joint forest management: Lessons from two Indian state. Geoforum. 111, 218-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.02.020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.02.020
Miller, D.C., Mansourian, S., Gabay, M., Hajjar, R., Jagger, P., Kamoto, J.F., Newton, P., Oldekop, J.A., Razafindratsima, O.H., Shyamsundar, P. and Sunderland, T.C.H., Wildburger, C., 2021. Forests, trees and poverty alleviation: Policy implications of current knowledge. Forest Policy and Economics, 131, 102566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102566 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102566
FAO and UNEP. 2020. The State of the World’s Forests 2020. Forests, biodiversity and people. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en DOI: https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en
Lawlor, K., Sills, E.O., Atmadja, S., Lin, L., Songwathana, K. 2019. Chapter 1 - SDG 1: No Poverty - Impacts of Social Protection, Tenure Security and Building Resilience on Forests. In: P. Katila, C.J.P. Colfer, Jong, W. de G. Galloway, P. Pacheco, G. Winkel, (eds). Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People: 17-47. https://dx.doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i6.2024.3568 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108765015.003
The Forest Right Act, 2006, chapter 2, section 3(a). Government of India, New Delhi. Accessed on 07th February 2022, https://tribal.nic.in/FRA/data/FRARulesBook.pdf
GULZAR S, LAL A, PASQUALE B. Representation and Forest Conservation: Evidence from India’s Scheduled Areas. American Political Science Review. Published online 2023:1-20. doi:10.1017/S0003055423000758 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055423000758
FRA, 2006 was enacted in December 2006 and the notification of rules for the implementation was released on January 1, 2008z, see “Forest Rights Act, 2006: Acts, Rules and Guidelines,” Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and United Nations Development Programme, India, 2014, https://tribal.nic.in/downloads/FRA/FRAActnRulesBook.pdf
GLANCE, ATA. "FOREST RIGHTS."
Konstantin, Ardakov. "Evolution of Forest Policies and Implementation Status of FRA 2006 in India, with special reference to Jharkhand state." undefined (2022). doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2163590/v1
Tapas, Kumar, Sarangi. "Reform in Forest Tenure and Livelihood Impact: Implementation of Forest Rights Act 2006 in Odisha and Jharkhand:." undefined (2020). doi: 10.1177/2321024919883144 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2321024919883144
Suren, Pawas. "Enigma of Forest Rights in India." Editorial Note. (2024)
Sarangi, Tapas Kumar. "Legalising Rights through Implementation of Forest Rights Act 2006." Critical Review on Odisha and Jharkhand'(Working Paper No 126, RULNR Working Paper No 20, May, Centre for Economic and Social Studies (2013).
Sharma, Alok Kumar, Sasha Shree, and Seema Mamta Minz. "Devaluation Of Traditional Self-Governance Among Santal and Its Impact on Their Lives: A Case Study of Dumka District of Jharkhand." Bihar Journal Of: 434. (2023)
Prasad, Sachchidanand, and Nagendra Ambedkar Sole. "Tribal Self-Governance in Jharkhand: Insights into the Implementation of Self-Rule through Pathalgadi Practices." Contemporary Voice of Dalit (2023): 2455328X231180060. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2455328X231180060
Hembram, Shibthakur. (2022). Evolution of Forest Policies and Implementation Status of FRA 2006 in India, with special reference to Jharkhand state. 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2163590/v1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2163590/v1
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Sashank Sekhar Dayal, Dr. Devika Sharma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
