Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 30: An expert group from Govt of India (GoI) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs today visited Khansahib area of Budgam district to assess the implementation of Forest Rights Act (FRA) in J&K, in particular District Budgam.
The team which consisted of 4 members on Monday had visited Kupwara where they heard local scheduled tribe people and held a meeting with the local Deputy Commissioner as well.
The group led by V Giri Rao and Priya Tayde visited Khansahib area of Budgam where they held a public hearing at village Watrad.
The local ST population and other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD) and Chopan community representatives were also present.
The meeting was facilitated by Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement in association with the Rural Development Department.
V Giri Rao, the expert group member of Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) said that mass awareness is needed in J&K to ensure FRA is implemented in letter and spirit.
He said that mistakes committed by other states and UTs in FRA implementation can be rectified by J&K Govt as the law has been extended to UT of J&K very recently.
Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar, in his address said that FRA was not a land distribution law but it has been enacted to give the genuine rights to STs, Chopans and other forest dwellers who were deprived from the same for more than a century.
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