Odisha eyes Forest Act implementation by 2024.

About Forest Act:

• Forest Right Act (FRA) was enacted in 2006 which recognises the rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other sociocultural needs.
• It recognizes and vest the forest rights and occupation in Forest land in Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) who have been residing in such forests for generations.

KEY POINTS:

• According to Odisha’s ST and SC Development Secretary Ranjana Chopra, Odisha set to launch Mission 2024 for FRA in which State aims to grant all kinds of forest rights whether it is individual, community or habitat.
• All tribals will be granted their rightful ownership. The Mission is under scrutiny by the Finance Department and the Planning and Convergence Department.
• All old records of rights (land pattas) have been digitised and the future pattas would also be digitised. A dedicated website has been hosted to keep all records.
• The whole process of demarcation of land and reaching out to last citizen has been facilitated by non-government organsiation partners.