Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi today chaired a meeting to review the effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) in Shimla district. During the meeting, he assessed the progress of cases under the Act and issued strict directions to expedite the disposal of pending FRA-related cases, ensuring that benefits reach all eligible beneficiaries in a time-bound and transparent manner.
The Minister directed officers to accelerate the processing of FRA cases and stressed that coordinated and proactive efforts by all concerned departments were essential for the successful implementation of the Act. He described the FRA as an important welfare legislation and said its effective execution was a shared responsibility.
During the review, feedback was taken from Sub-Divisional Officers of Rohru, Jubbal, Chopal, Shimla Rural and Kupvi regarding the status of FRA cases. The Minister instructed officials to work with a clear roadmap so that the majority of pending cases are resolved by March 2026.
It was informed that Shimla district has so far received 262 individual and community claims at the Gram Sabha level, out of which 196 cases have been forwarded by the Forest Rights Committees to the Sub-Divisional Level Committees for further processing.
The Minister also reviewed the institutional framework under the Act and was apprised that a total of 2,266 Forest Rights Committees have been constituted across the district. These include 277 in Chopal, 9 in Dodra-Kwar, 129 in Jubbal, 215 in Kotkhai, 53 in Kupvi, 154 in Kumarsain, 216 in Rampur, 170 in Rohru, 473 in Shimla Rural, 19 in Shimla Urban, 180 in Sunni and 371 in Theog.
A detailed presentation on the Forest Rights Act was also made during the meeting. It was highlighted that the Act provides for recognition of land and forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and other eligible individuals or communities who have been residing primarily on forest land for at least three generations prior to 13 December 2005 and who depend on forests or forest land for their genuine livelihood needs.
