FOREST RIGHTS ACT
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has said that they have earmarked a budget earmarked for basic infrastructure, capacity building in those forest areas where the government is going to implement forest rights act.
Government has initiated the process for implementation of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 i.e. Forest Rights Act and planning for post-claim support process including facilities for those tribes who are living in these areas.
In line with the announcement made by the Lt Governor Sh Manoj Sinha for expeditious implementation of Forest Rights Act the steps are being taken by tribal affairs department, forest department and district administration for recognition of rights, settlement of claims, planning for post-claim support and developmental measures for these people as they are living in extreme difficult conditions.
General Administration Department earlier issued the order for the constitution of District and Sub-Divisional Level Committees based on which Deputy Commissioners have been authorized by the government to select nominated members. More than 20,000 claims are under process in various districts and steps are being taken to strengthen the Forest Rights Committees at Gram Panchayat level.
The department has earmarked an amount of Rs 60 Lakh for a mass awareness and capacity building programme to be launched in the second week of September enabling the tribal communities and traditional forest dwellers to submit their claims as well as capacity of District Level Committees, Sub-Divisional Level Committees.
