Bringing change in lives of forest-dwellers through Forest Rights Act is our responsibility: Principal Secretary Sonmani Borah
Raipur, September 24
Principal Secretary of Tribal Development Department, Sonmani Borah, emphasized at a training session for master trainers on Forest Rights Act that it’s our responsibility to bring change in the lives of forest-dwelling people through this Act. He stressed better implementation for social and economic upliftment, forest protection, and empowering forest dwellers to access government schemes and forest rights.
Notably, a three-day training program for master trainers on community forest resource management is being organized at the Tribal Research and Training Institute in Nava Raipur from September 24-26. Officials related to Forest Rights Act implementation, NGO representatives, Commissioner Sanjay Gaud, Namita Mishra from Foundation for Ecological Security, Kishore Kumar from UNDP, and trainees from all divisions attended.
Addressing a training program, Principal Secretary Shri Borah said that forest rights provide a pathway for forest dwellers to access various benefits like education, healthcare, reservation, employment through MNREGA, and PDS. These initiatives help integrate them into mainstream society. We should focus on maximizing benefits, not just implementing projects. Utilizing new technologies will ensure 100% eligible beneficiaries receive benefits.
Borah emphasized the significance of community forest resource rights, enabling villages to protect, conserve, manage, and regenerate their traditional forests according to their needs and policies. This setup preserves tribal heritage, biodiversity, and traditional forest-based livelihoods while combating climate change and environmental degradation.”
Here’s the translation:
Principal Secretary Shri Borah stated that Chhattisgarh has over 13,000 gram sabhas, with approval given to 4,300 villages to form Community Forest Resource Management Committees and 2,070 villages already established. He emphasized the potential for all 13,000 gram sabhas to have such committees, requiring further action.
Borah discussed the Community Forest Resource Management Act, citing North Eastern states like Tripura and Meghalaya, where community-owned land fosters collective decision-making on farming, crops, and better livelihoods. He stressed empowering community strength for improved development.”
Dignitaries present included Sanjay Gaud, Namita Mishra, and Kishore Kumar.