Ensuring Forest Rights in Himachal: Forest Dwellers to Get Lease Land Under FRA, Without Right to Sell

“This initiative does not aim to promote encroachment, but to provide rightful access to those genuinely dependent on forest land for survival,” said Negi. “A time-bound mechanism is being adopted to ensure that eligible claimants get benefits within the legal framework.”

Multi-Stage Verification Process

The journey begins in June, when Gram Sabhas will start inviting claims. These claims will be carefully verified by the Forest Rights Committees, alongside forest and revenue officials. Approved claims will then move to sub-division level committees in July for further scrutiny. If any applications are incomplete or incorrect, they will be sent back to Gram Sabhas for revision.

In August, district level committees will receive the finalized claims for evaluation. Claims that lack proper documentation will be forwarded to the state-level monitoring committee. Verified claims will be processed, and corresponding entries will be made in revenue records.

September will see the re-verification of pending or newly received claims. A second phase of claim assessments will follow in October. The final review and approval of remaining claims by district committees is scheduled for November, after which leases will be formally issued.

To make the application process smoother, the state will soon launch a dedicated FRA mobile app and helpline number. Additionally, specific FRA Weeks will be observed to speed up claim verification and processing.

The Forest Rights Act, passed during the UPA regime in 2006 and receiving Presidential assent the same year, came into effect on January 1, 2008. Its goal is to recognize the rights of forest-dwelling communities.

Officials from the forest, revenue, Panchayati Raj departments, and FRA committees at various levels will receive detailed operational guidelines this month to ensure uniform implementation.