Explanation:

Recently, Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights Act), 2006 was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

The move will elevate the socio-economic status of a sizeable section of the 14-lakh-strong population of tribals and nomadic communities, including Gujjar-Bakerwals and Gaddi-Sippis, in the Union Territory.

Tribals in J&K have waited for a long time for their rights and as per the claims of the administration, this step will facilitate the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s endeavor to work in mission mode for development of tribals.

Importanceof the Forest Rights Act:

It expands the mandate of the Fifth and the Sixth Schedules of the Constitution that protect the claims of indigenous communities over tracts of land or forests they inhabit.

The alienation of tribes was one of the factors behind various insurgency movements, which affect the states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The Act through identifying IFR and CFR tries to provide inclusion to tribes, thereby, ameliorating their grievances.

It has the potential to democratise forest governance by recognising community forest resource rights.

The act will ensure that people get to manage their forest on their own which will check exploitation of forest resources by officials, improve forest governance and better management of tribal rights.