Economic and Political Weekly | January 13, 2025
Sixteen years after the Forest Rights Act, 2006, only three states have recognised a significant number of community forest resource rights, and only one of them (Maharashtra) has enabled their operationalisation. While the outcomes in Maharashtra have been impressive, violations abound elsewhere. Even where recognised, state agencies refuse to let go of their monopolies. Despite the recent upsurge of interest at the central level, democratising forest governance in India remains an uphill task.
