Srinagar, Aug 12 : National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Tribal Affairs, Javed Rana, on Wednesday announced a comprehensive action plan to expedite the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in the Union Territory, asserting that the administration will address the “genuine grievances” of tribal communities on a priority basis.
Chairing a meeting with tribal representatives from all districts of the Kashmir Valley, minister Rana said the government has constituted state, district and block-level monitoring committees to ensure the timely execution of the Act, which was extended to J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
“All our representatives from the districts of Kashmir province came today. We discussed how and how soon the Forest Rights Act will be implemented. Directions have been given to departments, and the Director of Tribal Affairs has been told to form committees at the earliest for proper implementation,” Rana told reporters here.
The Minister also took serious note of the high number of rejected claims under the Act and ordered a thorough review of all such cases to ascertain the reasons for their dismissal.
“The inquiry committee report submitted by the tribal department is being studied. I have given directions to review those cases and see why they have been rejected,” he said, adding that a monitoring cell has been set up at every district level to look into the matter.
Minister Rana further said he has requested the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting of the state-level monitoring committee after August 15. He added that he would personally chair a meeting involving Deputy Commissioners and district representatives, followed by a series of workshops at the divisional, district and block levels.
In a significant move, the Minister said the government will seek the assistance of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and tribal activists, including those working in the Jammu region, to ensure broader participation and transparency in the implementation process.
“We will take the services of NGOs and tribal activists, including people like Sheikh Alam Sool and others working for our tribal communities. I am hopeful that these issues of concern will be addressed very soon,” Rana added. (KNS)
