Report 
                                                   Draft Project Report          
                                                   Draft Project Report          
                                                                         
                                          
                                          
                                    Taking Stock and Identifying    
                               Challenges in Implementation of the  
                               Forest Rights Act in Madhya Pradesh 
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                                       
                                          
                                          Indrani Barpujari, Ph.D.  
                                                       
                                                       
                                                       
                                                       
                                                   2019 
                                                       
                            Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance  
                                             & Policy Analysis 
                Taking Stock and Identifying Challenges in 
           Implementation of the Forest Rights Act in Madhya 
                                Pradesh 
                                     
                                     
                                     
                                 Report 
          
          
                                     
                           Indrani Barpujari, Ph.D.  
                                     
                                     
                                     
                                  2019 
          
          
                                          
          
          Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance & Policy Analysis, Bhopal 
              An Autonomous Institute of the Government of Madhya Pradesh   
       Taking  Stock  and  Identifying  Challenges  in  Implementation  of  the  Forest  Rights  Act  in 
       Madhya Pradesh 
        
       Special Guidance 
       Shri R. Parasuram, Director General, AIGGPA 
       Shri Mangesh Tyagi, Principal Advisor, Centre for Governance 
        
       Project Team 
       Study coordinated by 
       Indrani Barpujari, Ph.D. 
       Advisor, Centre for Governance 
        
       Inputs from the districts 
        (under  the  Chief  Minister's  Young  Professionals  for  Development  Programme,  in 
       alphabetical order) 
       Abhishek Latawa, Research Associate (Former), Umaria 
       Amrita Singh Thakur, Research Associate, Chhatarpur 
       Anurag Ningwal, Research Associate, Alirajpur 
       Jibin Jose, Research Associate, Umaria 
       Mohini Singh, Research Associate, Dindori 
       Narendra Krishna Tripathi, Research Associate, Jhabua 
       Priyanka Gajbhiye, Research Associate, Anuppur 
       Rahul Kumar Mehar, Research Associate, Mandla 
       Rajneesh Tiwari, Research Associate, Khandwa  
       Sriram Aditya Pulavarti, Research Associate, Sagar 
       Tanaya Mohanty, Research Associate, Betul  
       Taking  Stock  and  Identifying  Challenges  in  Implementation  of  the  Forest  Rights  Act  in 
       Madhya Pradesh 
        
       Contents 
       Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. i 
       Chapter 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 
        1.1. Background .................................................................................................................................. 1 
        1.2. Objectives..................................................................................................................................... 3 
        1.3. Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 3 
        1.4. Organisation of the Report .......................................................................................................... 4 
       Chapter II: Status of Implementation of the Forest Rights Act in Madhya Pradesh with Special Focus 
       on Select Ten Districts ............................................................................................................................. 6 
        2.1. Status of Implementation of FRA in Madhya Pradesh till April 30, 2018 .................................... 6 
        2.2. Individual Claims-Status in Select Districts .................................................................................. 6 
        2.2. Community Claims-Status in Select Districts ............................................................................... 9 
       Chapter III: An Analysis of Individual Claims (Accepted and Rejected) in Select Districts .................... 13 
        3.1. Socio-Economic Profile of the Claimants ................................................................................... 13 
        3.2. Dependence on Forests ............................................................................................................. 15 
        3.3. Individual Rights Claimed under FRA ......................................................................................... 17 
        3.4. Benefits post Acceptance of Individual Claims .......................................................................... 22 
        3.5. Reasons for Rejection of Individual Claims ................................................................................ 24 
       Chapter IV: An Analysis of Community Claims in the Select Districts ................................................... 27 
        4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 27 
        4.2. Socio-Economic Profile and Dependence on Forests ................................................................ 28 
        4.3. Nature and Process of Community Claims ................................................................................ 29 
        4.4. Benefits of Community Rights ................................................................................................... 36 
       Chapter V: Peoples' Experiences with the FRA: A Few Cases ............................................................... 38 
        3.6.1. Rejected Claims in Amba Khodra Village, Jhabua ................................................................... 38 
        3.6.2. The Experiences of the People of Chakdhana Village, Betul .................................................. 38 
        3.6.3. The Experiences of the People of Khaira Village, Chicholi Block, Betul .................................. 39 
        3.6.4. The Experiences of the People of Chanda Village, Dindori ..................................................... 40 
        3.6.5. People's Experiences with the FRA in Few Villages in Chhatarpur ......................................... 41 
        3.6.6. Experiences of PVTGs in Chiruhala Village, Umaria ................................................................ 42 
       Chapter VI: Circumventing Challenges in Implementing FRA: Official Perspective .............................. 43 
        6.1. Official Best Practices in Madhya Pradesh at the Time of Roll-Out of FRA ............................... 43 
        6.2. An Assessment of the Implementation Challenges 10 Years Later ........................................... 44