The Union government is exploring funding support for community forest resource management under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is in talks with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to support gram sabhas that hold community forest resource rights over forests traditionally protected and managed by tribal and other forest-dwelling communities.
Forest Rights Act and Community Rights
The FRA, enacted to recognise historical rights of Scheduled Tribe communities and other forest-dwellers, vests specific forest rights in eligible communities through formal titles. Among these are community forest resource rights, which allow gram sabhas to protect, regenerate, conserve and manage forest areas for sustainable use.
2023 Guidelines for CFR Management
In 2023, the Tribal Affairs Ministry issued guidelines for managing forests where community forest resource rights had already been granted. These guidelines provided for the creation of community forest resource management committees under title-holding gram sabhas. The committees are expected to prepare conservation and management plans before the Forest Department is brought in to align them with working plan codes.
Need for Financial Support
Officials say the new committees will require funds to function effectively. Their needs include hiring staff, preparing plans, and training community members for day-to-day management. The government is considering whether the Environment Ministry can provide financial assistance for these activities.
Community-Led Conservation Model
The proposed approach aims to keep forest planning community-led while allowing technical safeguards. Officials have indicated that any support framework should ensure that the forest department does not take over the process, but only aligns plans where necessary. The move is also intended to correct the perception that forest bureaucracy is opposed to community-based forest governance.
Last Modified: April 25, 2026