Database of Land-Related Conflicts

Database of Land-Related Conflicts under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), developed by Land Conflict Watch, highlights significant issues in India.

About the report:

• The analysis was conducted by Land Conflict Watch, a detailed database of land-related conflicts in India.
• Identified 781 conflicts, with 264 conflicts in constituencies considering FRA a key issue.
• 44% of these conflicts stem from conservation and forestry projects.
• 88% of the conflicts involve non-implementation or violation of key FRA provisions.
• Conflicts notably affect 2.1 lakh hectares of land and 6.1 lakh people.

Key findings of the report:

• States like Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have the highest number of core FRA constituencies.
• Conflicts often result from issues like the lack of legal land protection, forced evictions, and dispossession of land.
• 110 conflicts occur in constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 77 in those for Scheduled Castes.
• The analysis also highlighted that 2.45 million titles have been accorded to tribal and forest dwellers across the country, with 34% of claims rejected.

About the Forest Rights Act (FRA):

• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, is also known as the FRA.
• It was enacted in 2006.
• It empowers tribal communities and forest dwellers to claim legal rights over forest land.
• It is responsible for managing and using forest land as it mandates gram sabha approval for non-forestry land use.

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