Report of the fact-finding committee on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006

The implementation of the Forest Rights Act has largely overlooked claims for community forest rights and is fraught with exclusionary practices due to misconceptions about its applicability, according to a new report. The report was published in March and conducted by Delhi-based NGO Call for Justice, with a committee chaired by former high court judge S.N. Dhingra. The Forest Rights Act of 2006 (FRA), which came into force in 2008, recognises the historical rights that forest dwellers and scheduled tribes have over forest resources. However, despite being in force for over 15 years, strong implementation is still lacking due to knowledge gaps or conflicts of interest, says the report.