Kolkata: As many as 25 lakh titles have been distributed out of the 54 lakh claims received till August 31 under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA), an official said on Saturday.
Speaking at the Second Regional Review Conference on implementation of FRA in Kolkata, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), said on Friday that out of over 54 lakh claims received nationally, about 11 lakh claims still remain pending at different stages.
The official said over 18 lakh claims have been rejected, noting that Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Assam account for substantial pendency concentrated in particular districts, according to a statement.
He highlighted that the Regional Conference focuses on the following key priorities such as timely disposal of pending claims and review of rejected claims in accordance with the Act and Rules, reconciliation of FRA data, digitisation of FRA case records, incorporation of recognised rights into revenue and forest records, acceleration of recognition of Community Forest Resource Rights and Habitat Rights recognition for PVTGs.
The Conference brought together senior functionaries of the Tribal Welfare, Revenue and Forest Departments and Tribal Research Institutes of eight States, namely West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, said the statement.
Additionally, senior officials of Andhra Pradesh were invited to share the best practices the State has undertaken on digitisation, integration of FRA titles into government records, taking up proactive measures on convergence of livelihood schemes with FRA titleholders and providing credit facilities to the right holders, said the statement.
District officials- Collectors, Sub-Collectors and ITDP/ITDA Project Officers- from districts having a large pendency of FRA claims also attended to review the status of implementation and deliberate on a coordinated way forward.
The Conference follows the First Regional Review Conference held in Bengaluru on September 10 for the Southern States.
Secretary, MoTA, said that the FRA places the rights, dignity and aspirations of forest-dwelling communities at the heart of inclusive and sustainable development.
She emphasised that recognised rights must be incorporated into Revenue and Forest records with accurate maps and that convergence with programmes for productive land use, housing and livelihoods must become a regular part of implementation.
The Director, FRA, MoTA, presented the national scenario, including pendency in high-pendency States and priority districts.
Her presentation also covered the importance of incorporating the Record of Forest Rights into revenue and forest records in line with the Ministry’s advisory of June 24, 2026 and Habitat Rights under the Ministry’s guidelines of January 5, 2026.
–IANS–
