Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 18: A consultation workshop on Forest Rights Act (FRA) was today organised by Action Aid India in Chadoora Budgam which was attended by senior officers from the Tribal Affairs Department, Forest & Revenue Departments as well as the members of village Forest Rights Committees (FRCs)
Speaking on the occasion, Special Secretary Tribal Affairs Department Mohammad Haroon Malik said that people had rights like the Forest Rights Act in the past also when Sir Walter Lawrence did land settlement in J&K around 1890.
“But after enactment of FRA these rights have been properly identified and people have not only individual and community forest rights but they have rights over the local non-forest timber produce (NTFP) as well,” he said.
He said that Govt of India has launched a scheme called Van Dhan Yojna wherein J&K Tribal Affairs Department has signed an MoU with the Cooperatives Department for setting up Self Help Groups (SHGs) for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs).
These SHGs can collect the minor forest produce at their level and process the same, he said.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Chadoora P N Hamid in his address said that tribals and other traditional forest dwellers must focus on the education of their children.
Range Officer, Doodh Ganga Range, Tariq Nazir spoke about FRA in detail and the rights to which people are entitled.
Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar appreciated the role of the Tribal Affairs Department and others for their support and cooperation on FRA implementation.
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