Srinagar, July 31: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has directed all Deputy Commissioners to expedite the verification and settlement of claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA), ensuring timely recognition of the legal rights of eligible forest-dwelling communities.

The Tribal Affairs Department issued a circular instructing all districts to speed up the receipt, scrutiny and disposal of claims through the statutory three-tier mechanism and submit completion certificates once the process is finalised.
The department, headed by Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, said the move is aimed at ensuring early implementation of the Act while safeguarding the rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.
Reiterating the legal safeguards under the FRA, the circular highlighted Section 4(5), which prohibits the eviction or removal of any eligible forest dweller from occupied forest land until the process of recognition and verification of rights is fully completed.
The department also reiterated the provisions of Section 6, under which the Gram Sabha is the statutory authority responsible for receiving, scrutinising and verifying claims, preparing maps and forwarding recommendations to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) for further examination.
It further reminded stakeholders of the Act's appellate mechanism, under which appeals against Gram Sabha decisions lie before the SDLC, while decisions of the SDLC can be challenged before the District Level Committee (DLC), whose verdict is final.
Clarifying the scope of the Act, the department said its provisions also extend to municipal and urban areas, where the functions of the Gram Sabha shall be performed by Ward Committees or assemblies of adult residents, wherever applicable, in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
Districts that have already completed the recognition and settlement process have been asked to furnish formal completion certificates to facilitate consolidation of the implementation status across the Union Territory.
The latest directions are in line with Minister Javed Ahmed Rana's emphasis on the lawful and effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act. He has repeatedly maintained that the legislation is meant to protect the legitimate rights of tribal communities while ensuring social justice and livelihood security.
Rana also stressed that any eviction, wherever legally warranted, must strictly follow the due process laid down under the Forest Rights Act and the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
"The basic rights of tribal communities cannot be snatched and every action must remain within the framework of law and justice," the Minister said, reaffirming the government's commitment to protecting the constitutional and legal rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers across Jammu and Kashmir.