New Delhi, Dec 19 (NationPress) Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram convened a group of policymakers and legal specialists on Friday to develop effective strategies for community forest governance and to ensure a more efficient and precise documentation of forest rights in governmental land records, as stated by an official.

During a National Consultative Workshop focused on the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the Minister reaffirmed the Union government's dedication to enhancing the execution of the Act through evidence-based policy reforms, institutional fortification, and ongoing collaboration with states, experts, and communities.

Minister Oram emphasized the need for improved inter-departmental coordination, capacity building of Gram Sabhas, and the importance of better alignment between the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and development as well as conservation frameworks.

The Tribal Affairs Ministry, in partnership with the National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI), organized the workshop, which aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing commitment to restore the rights, dignity, and livelihoods of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers, supporting his vision of empowering tribal communities through rightful ownership of forest resources as stipulated in the Act.

In the opening session, the Union Minister pointed out that the Forest Rights Act, 2006 serves as a crucial legislative measure aimed at rectifying the historical injustices endured by the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers.

Highlighting the significance of Community Forest Rights, Union Minister Oram encouraged all participants to share their insights and suggest actionable recommendations arising from the discussions.

He called on states to prioritize the empowerment of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers through targeted interventions, especially in the realms of protection, value addition, and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Produce like Sal leaves and Mahua, asserting that securing FRA rights is crucial for sustainable livelihoods.

Union Tribal Affairs Secretary Ranjana Chopra stressed the importance of the FRA as a driver for tribal welfare and economic upliftment.

She highlighted the necessity of geotagging all Recognised Forest Rights, encompassing Individual Forest rights, Community Rights, and Community Forest Resource rights, to enhance transparency and monitoring.

Chopra also urged all participants to propose solutions to the significant challenges within the FRA framework, particularly focusing on livelihood promotion, digitization of records, and ensuring habitat rights for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.

Throughout the discussions, a strong emphasis was placed on the FRA's capacity to bolster tenure security, democratic forest governance, livelihood security, and biodiversity conservation, which aligns with India's vision of 'Viksit Bharat'.