Centre plans portal to provide all forest rights services online, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Union government is developing a national web portal for online management of Forest Rights Act (FRA) processes.
• The portal, currently named TARANG (beta version), aims to be a single window for filing claims, issuing digital titles, and mapping potential forest areas.
• The initiative is part of a larger FRA road map to be finalized by the first half of 2026.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs aims to use FRA records to identify beneficiaries for government welfare schemes.

Detailed Insights:

• The proposed portal will streamline the process from Gram Sabhas' Forest Rights Committee to State-Level Monitoring Committees.
• The Forest Rights Act of 2006 recognizes the rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers to forest land.
• The law acknowledges individual and community rights, including resource use and habitation.
• The Tribal Affairs Ministry emphasizes the importance of geotagging all recognized forest rights and digitizing records.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Forest Rights Act (FRA): Law recognizing rights of forest dwellers on forest land.
• Gram Sabha: Village assembly, a primary body for local governance.
• Digital Title Deeds: Electronic documents proving land ownership.