Why in the News?
- Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has initiated discussions with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to secure funding for Community Forest Resource Management (CFRM) Committees, set up under gram sabhas of tribal communities and other forest dwellers.
- This step aims to correct perceptions that the forest bureaucracy and local communities are at odds, and to strengthen community-led forest resource management.
Community Forest Resources (CFR) under FRA: Background
- Definition: Community Forest Resources (CFR) under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) include customary common forest lands within traditional village boundaries or areas used seasonally by pastoral communities.
- CFR covers reserved forests, protected forests, sanctuaries, and national parks where communities had historical access.
- Community Rights under FRA:
- Traditional Usage Rights: Rights such as nistar or similar customary entitlements under historical regimes like Princely States or Zamindari systems.
- Minor Forest Produce: Right to collect, use, and dispose of minor forest produce, both within and outside village limits.
- Habitation Rights: Tenure and use of habitat for primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities.
- Resource Access: Rights over fishing, grazing (settled or nomadic), and seasonal resource use for pastoral communities.
- Conservation Rights: Right to protect, regenerate, conserve, or manage forest produce traditionally safeguarded by the community.
- Biodiversity and Knowledge Rights: Access to biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and community rights over intellectual property related to cultural and biological resources.
- Settlement Rights: Rights to settle and convert forest villages, old habitations, un-surveyed villages, and other forest villages into revenue villages.
- Other Rights: Any customary rights enjoyed by forest-dwelling STs or other traditional forest dwellers, excluding hunting, trapping, or extracting parts of wild animals.
- Vesting of Rights: The Gram Sabha is the competent authority to initiate and determine the nature and extent of individual and community forest rights.
- Objective of CFR Management Guidelines: To assist Gram Sabhas and Forest-Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST)/Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) in managing community forest resources sustainably under FRA.
- Duties of Forest Rights Holders:Section 5 of FRA empowers forest rights holders, Gram Sabhas, and Village Institutions to:
- Protect wildlife, forests, and biodiversity.
- Safeguard catchment areas, water sources, and ecologically sensitive zones.
- Preserve habitats of forest-dwelling STs and traditional communities against destructive practices.
- Ensure Gram Sabha decisions on regulating access to CFRs are implemented and any harmful activities affecting forests or wildlife are stopped.
- Committees for Protection: As per FRA Rules (amended 2012), Gram Sabhas are mandated to constitute committees for protection of wildlife, forests, and biodiversity from among their members to carry out the above responsibilities.
Community Forest Resource Management Committee (CFRMC)
- Constitution of CFRMC: The Gram Sabha shall constitute a Community Forest Resource Management Committee (CFRMC) from among its members. The CFRMC shall consist of 5 to 11 members, ensuring that:
- At least two-thirds of members are Forest Rights holders.
- At least one-third of members are women.
- Composition: The CFRMC members shall select a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer, and inform the Sub-Division Level Committee (SDLC), District Level Committee (DLC), and District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) constituted by the State/UT government.
- Tenure: The tenure of the CFRMC will be decided by the Gram Sabha, ranging from 3 to 5 years.
- Honorarium or allowances for CFRMC members will be decided by a Gram Sabha resolution and funded from CFRMC resources.
- In cases where a common forest area is managed by multiple Gram Sabhas, a CFRMC shall be formed through a joint meeting of the concerned Gram Sabhas under SDLC guidance.
- Monitoring and Oversight: State Level Monitoring Committee forms District Level CFR Monitoring Committees (DLMCs). DLMCs facilitate integration of CFRM Plans with forest working/management plans and provide oversight for conservation and sustainable management.
Functions of CFRMC
- Meetings: Gram Sabha meets at least once every six months to approve and review CFRMC plans; Secretary notifies members 7 days in advance.
- Executive Functions: CFRMC carries out all tasks as approved by Gram Sabha, remaining accountable to it.
- Planning: Prepares draft conservation and management plans (CFRM Plans).
- Coordination: Works with other departments for protection of wildlife, forests, biodiversity, catchment areas, and water sources.
- Records: Maintains executive and financial records related to CFR management.
- Stakeholder Inclusion: Ensures views of all forest rights holders are included in CFRM Plans.
Preparation and Execution of Community Forest Resources Management Plan (CFRM Plan).
- Information Access: Government agencies provide authenticated data, maps, and records on request from Gram Sabha.
- Consensus Building: Gram Sabhas concerned arrive at consensus; disputes are referred to District Level CFR Monitoring Committee.
- Integration: CFRMC coordinates with Forest Department to align CFRM Plan with forest working plans or micro plans.
Financial Management of CFRMC
- Bank Account: Gram Sabha opens a single account in a nationalized bank or post office, operated by CFRMC office bearers.
- Expenditure Rules: All spending follows Gram Sabha rules, with a ceiling limit requiring resolution for excess spending.
- Audit: Annual revenue and expenditure statement finalized by Gram Sabha within three months and audited by Chartered Accountant.
- Funding Sources:
- Contributions from forest produce sales.
- Government grants for CFR development activities.
- Funds from Forest Department for forest development work.
Q. With reference to Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs) under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), consider the following statements:
1. CFRMCs are constituted by the Gram Sabha from among its members.
2. At least two-thirds of CFRMC members must be women.
3. CFRMC members select office bearers including Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.
4. CFRMCs operate independently of Gram Sabha decisions.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3, and 4 only
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Gram Sabha constitutes CFRMCs consisting of 5–11 members.
Statement 2 is incorrect: At least one-third of members must be women, not two-thirds.
Statement 3 is correct: CFRMC members elect a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Statement 4 is incorrect: CFRMC is accountable to the Gram Sabha and carries out functions approved by it.
