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The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved the setup of 324 district-level Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells across 18 States/UTs under the Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA) to fast-track the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

Key Concepts and Terms

Term	Explanation
Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006	A law that recognizes forest land and resource rights of Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs).
DAJGUA	A central government initiative to empower tribal communities and improve FRA implementation through administrative support.
District-Level FRA Cells	Newly sanctioned units to aid in claim documentation, coordination, and record uploading under the FRA.
Gram Sabha	Village assembly responsible for verifying forest claims and forming Forest Rights Committees (FRCs).
Minor Forest Produce (MFP)	Non-timber products like bamboo, cane, and honey collected by forest dwellers.
Community Forest Resource (CFR)	Forest areas customarily conserved and managed by communities.
PVTGs	Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups with habitat and survival rights under FRA.

News Details

• The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has granted funding for 324 district-level FRA Cells under the DAJGUA scheme.
• These Cells aim to assist Gram Sabhas and tribal claimants in preparing and submitting FRA claims.
• Core tasks include:
  • Helping with claim documentation and field support.
  • Facilitating demarcation of vested land.
  • Supporting digitization of records and data upload.
  • Ensuring coordination with Tribal Welfare Departments and Gram Sabhas.
• Legal status: These are support units under DAJGUA, not statutory bodies under the FRA law itself.

Concerns Raised

Concern	Explanation
Parallel System	Risk of creating confusion by duplicating roles already under FRA’s statutory framework.
Overlap with Committees	May interfere with or duplicate duties of Gram Sabha FRCs, SDLCs, DLCs.
Structural Challenges	Issues like irregular SDLC/DLC meetings and delays from Forest Departments may persist despite FRA Cells.

About the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

Feature	Description
Objective	Redress historical injustice and provide legal forest land rights to STs and OTFDs.
Individual Rights	Up to 4 hectares of forest land for cultivation or habitation.
Community Rights	Rights over water bodies, grazing, fishery, MFP, and access to traditional forests.
Habitat Rights	Protection for PVTGs and pre-agricultural tribal communities.
CFR Rights	Community-led management and regeneration of forests.
Implementation	Bottom-up model: Gram Sabha → FRC → SDLC → DLC → State Monitoring Committees.

In a Nutshell (Mnemonic: FRACTURE)

Forest land rights
Recognition of tribal claims
Access to forest produce
Community forest governance
Tribal empowerment
Upliftment via Gram Sabha
Rights-based conservation
Eviction protection

Prelims Practice Questions

1. Which of the following is considered Minor Forest Produce under the FRA, 2006?
   A. Timber
   B. Bamboo
   C. Ironwood
   D. Sal logs
2. The District-Level FRA Cells are established under which initiative?
   A. Van Mitra Abhiyaan
   B. Jal Jeevan Mission
   C. Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan
   D. Mission Tribal Empowerment
3. Which committee is responsible for final approval of forest rights claims under FRA?
   A. Forest Department
   B. Sub-Divisional Committee
   C. Gram Sabha
   D. District Level Committee

Mains Practice Questions

1. Discuss the significance of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 in empowering tribal communities and conserving forests. (GS II – Governance)
2. Critically examine the potential and pitfalls of setting up District-Level FRA Cells outside the statutory framework of FRA. (GS II – Government policies and interventions)

Answers to Prelims Questions

Q.No	Answer	Explanation
1	B	Bamboo is classified as Minor Forest Produce (MFP); timber is excluded.
2	C	The FRA Cells are being set up under DAJGUA.
3	D	District Level Committees (DLCs) are the final approving authority under FRA.