It has been explained previously.

•   It provides for the restitution of deprived forest rights across including:

o  Individual rights to cultivated land in forest land.

o  Community rights over common property resources.

o  Community forest 'resource' rights, giving gram sabhas the power to protect and manage their forest.

•   Significance:  It provides scope and historic opportunity of integrating conservation and livelihood rights of the people.

•   Aim:

o  To empower and strengthen the local self-governance

o  To address the livelihood security

o  Conservation and management of the Natural Resources and conservation governance of India. 

•   Forest Rights Act recognizes:

o  Community Rights in addition to their individual rights.

o  Right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource.

o  Right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge related to biodiversity and cultural diversity.

o  Rights of displaced communities & Rights over developmental activities.

•   Salient features:

o  Nodal Agency for the implementation is Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).

o  This Act is applicable for Tribal and Other Traditional Forest Dwelling Communities.

o  The Act provides for recognition of forest rights of other traditional forest dwellers provided they have for at least three generations prior to 13.12.2005 primarily resided in and have depended on the forests for bonafide livelihood needs.

o  The maximum limit of the recognizing rights on forest land is 4 ha.

o  National Parks and Sanctuaries have been included along with Reserve Forest, Protected Forests for the recognition of Rights.

o  The Act recognizes the right of ownership access to collect, use, and dispose of minor forest produce by tribals.

o  Minor forest produce includes all non-timber forest produce of plant origin.

o  The rights conferred under the Act shall be heritable but not alienable or transferable.

o  As per the Act, the Gram Sabha has been designated as the competent authority for initiating the process of determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights.

o  The district level committee makes the final decision (see section 6(6)). The Committees have six members – three government officers and three elected persons.