The FRA was enacted in 2006 with the aim of protecting the claims of tribal communities over tracts of land or forests they have inhabited and cultivated for generations. It has the potential to democratise forest governance by recognising community forest resource rights over an estimated 85.6 million acres, thereby empowering over 200 million forest dwellers in over 1,70,000 villages. However, the FRA’s future is precariously balanced between the democratic control and protection of forests on the one hand and rapacious corporations backed by an unscrupulous political class on the other. It has become the site of a deep conflict. That is why it becomes important to understand what is at stake with the FRA. […]
[Farmer Duble Singh Patel]: “We have many benefits from the forest. We get medicinal herbs, fruits and tendu leaves. This clean environment is also because of the forest.” […]
Source: “Why forest rights matter: The demand is a call for upholding local practices of belonging” by Rajshree Chandra, The Indian Express, 17 March 2018
Address: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/maharashtra-farmers-protest-why-forest-rights-matter-5100519/
Date Visited: 22 October 2022
The current predicament of Adivasis
The current predicament of a vast majority of Adivasis is one of sharp erosion in their livelihoods and their life-worlds. Despite assurances of autonomy (the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, the Panchsheel, PESA 1996, Forests Rights Act 2006) and attempts of focused addressal of Adivasi and Tribal issues (including the establishment of an umbrella outfit, the National Council for Tribal Welfare), there are counter structures and programmes that defy the enabling of genuinely decentralised autonomy and the guarantee of democratic participation. For instance, the recently approved ‘Integrated Action Plan’ in Tribal areas overrides the representation of Adivasis in local issues in decision-making processes and arrogates powers of governance to bureaucrats and specialists.
In addition to such contradictory and conflicting measures, the forces of fast-expanding capital, along with the top-down deployment of development models have resulted in large scale displacement in Adivasi regions. Global capital’s access to mineral wealth has also intensified violence of various forms and degrees.
Source: Ch. 2, “Context and Conditions of Adivasi Life Worlds” (p. 5) in THE EDUCATION QUESTION’ FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ADIVASIS: CONDITIONS, POLICIES AND STRUCTURES by National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore), March 2012 & UNICEF | Backup (PDF, 4 MB)
- Myths and Facts About the Forest Rights Act
[The Act] makes conservation stronger by giving a power to communities to protect forests as well. This power is in addition to, not instead of the power that the Forest Department and other government agencies have. | Learn more >> - Campaign for Survival and Dignity [is] a national platform of tribal and forest dwellers’ organisations in ten States. The State federations affiliated to the Campaign are | Learn more >>
- “There has to be an immediate end to conversion of forest land for non-forest purposes like industrialization and urbanization. All the rejected individual forest rights claims of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers in the state must be reviewed,” said forest rights campaigner Manohar Chouhan. The campaigners also feel that there is a need to identify habitats of 13 primitive tribal groups/ particularly vulnerable tribal groups living in our state and recognize their rights. – Times Of India, Sep 22, 2013
- Adivasis are always at the receiving end as they were being prevented from collecting minor forest produce from forests and cases slapped against them. – The Hindu, Mysore, 27 October 2013
Up-to-date reports by Indian journalists and commentators
To search Indian periodicals, magazines, web portals and other sources safely, click here. To find an Indian PhD thesis on a particular tribal community, region and related issues, click here >>
Search tips
Combine the name of any particular state, language or region with that of any tribal (Adivasi) community.
Add keywords of special interest (music, poetry, dance just as health, sacred grove and biodiversity); learn about the rights of Scheduled Tribes such as the “Forest Rights Act” (FRA); and the United Nations “Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, “women’s rights”, or “children’s right to education”.
Ask a question that includes “tribal” or “Adivasi”, for instance: “Adivasi way of life better?” (or “tribal way of life worse?”)
Specify any particular issue or news item (biodiversity, bonded labour and human trafficking, climate change, ecology, economic development, ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, global warming, hunter-gatherers in a particular region or state, prevention of rural poverty, water access).
For official figures include “scheduled tribe ST” along with a union state or region: e.g. “Chhattisgarh ST community”, “Himalayan tribe”, “Scheduled tribe Tamil Nadu census”, “ST Kerala census”, “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Jharkhand”, “PVTG Rajasthan”, “Adivasi ST Kerala”, “Adibasi ST West Bengal” etc.
SafeSearch browser tips
If your (mobile) browser fails to display “embedded” media contents, Google maps and SafeSearch windows
Try another browser like Firefox, Chrome or Safari available on your device
Ensure your favourite browser is up to date
Close your present browser
Check your browser and mobile (gsm) settings:
e.g. permission for video or JavaScript
(seen under Preferences >Security >Enable JavaSript)
Restart your computer (smartphone, tablet)
Reconnect to your wifi network or connect to a different one
On some iPhone models the following helps:
>Settings >Safari >scroll down to:
SETTING FOR WEBSITES
Enable “Request Desktop Website” (All Websites) temporarily
Return to the map-post in Safari and “Reload”
Return to >Settings and disable “Request Desktop Website” again
Return to the post in Safari and “Reload”which should now display “embedded” contents as intended (with the convenience of browsing the mobile version on a small screen)
Note: similar solutions may also work with other mobile operating systems.
Search Worldcat.org for publications by reputed authors (select “Open Content/Open Access” for freely downloadable content)
Search tips
Combine the name of any particular state, language or region with that of any tribal (Adivasi) community.
Ask a question that includes “tribal” or “Adivasi”, for instance: “Adivasi way of life better?” (or “tribal way of life worse?”)
Add keywords of special interest (music, poetry, dance just as health, sacred grove and biodiversity); learn about the rights of Scheduled Tribes such as the “Forest Rights Act” (FRA); and the United Nations “Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, “women’s rights”, or “children’s right to education”.
Specify any particular issue or news item (biodiversity, bonded labour and human trafficking, climate change, ecology, economic development, ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, global warming, hunter-gatherers in a particular region or state, prevention of rural poverty, water access).
Learn more
Articles on Adivasi culture in Folio Special issue
Contents on this website by and about Prof. Ganesh Devy
eBook | Background guide for education
eBooks, eJournals & reports | eLearning
Education and literacy | Right to education
Figures, census and other statistics
Forest Rights Act (FRA) | Nishad (Nishada, Sanskrit Niṣāda, “tribal, hunter, mountaineer, degraded person outcast”) | Vanavasi (Vanvasi, Vanyajati)
Human Rights Commission (posts) | www.nhrc.nic.in (Government of India)
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
Irish Journal of Anthropology: Special issue on Adivasi identity
Misconceptions | “Casteism” and its effect on tribal communities
Remembering Birsa Munda: The charismatic tribal leader who shook the British Empire – Jharkhand
Scheduled Tribes | Classifications in different states
Tribal groups (Indian tribal communities)
Tribal Politics – adivasi culture, language, and religion in Encyclopedia of India
United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples