Tribal Affairs Secretary says community rights have potential to ‘strengthen gram sabha-led forest governance’

Union Tribal Affairs Secretary Ranjana Chopra’s remarks came at a regional conference in Bengaluru over the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, days after the Tribal Affairs Ministry’s own office memorandum, claiming that the FRA has “no provision for Gram Sabha consent” to divert forest land, led to severe criticism from Opposition leaders and Adivasi and forest dweller organisations...