The Performance

• In 10 years, only 3 per cent of the minimum potential of CFR rights could be achieved.
• Laggard states: Assam, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Sikkim
• Low performing states: Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka and Jharkhand
• IFR focused states: Tripura and Uttar Pradesh
• CFR laggard states(those which have implemented Individual Forest Rights (IFRs) and Community Rights (CRs), but have ignored CFRs, the most important rights): Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
• Better performing states: Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala and Gujarat (only in Scheduled V areas)

Reasons for Poor Implementation of FRA

• Absence of political will, both at the national and state levels;
• Lack of effort to build capacity in the Central nodal agency, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Opposition by MoEFCC and forest bureaucracy, including by passing the CAFA, support to JFM and VFRs, constant opposition at the ground level;
• Poor investment in implementation and its monitoring by both Central and state governments.

Way Forward

• Marshal political support to implement FRA,
• Send a clear message to the forest bureaucracy and MoEFCC to respect Parliament’s authority and stop obstructing FRA implementation;
• Undertake implementation in mission mode with clear budgeting support;
• Strengthen MoTA and state nodal agencies to implement FRA;
• Ensure effective monitoring systems at MoTA and state levels;
• Initiate awareness programmes on a large scale and build capacity of FRCs and the gram sabha;
• Develop an inter-ministerial process for MoEFCC and other relevant ministries to resolve laws, policies and programmes conflicting with FRA;
• Institute mechanisms to ensure unhindered exercise of CFR governance by the gram sabha after recognition and assertion of rights.