Over 1.45 lakh claims rejected under FRA in Odisha

The Odisha government has rejected over 1.45 lakh individual and community claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, till Dec 2014.

The state government has informed the union ministry of tribal affairs that 1,45,225 individual claims, 228 community claims and 13 community forest right claims have been rejected under the Scheduled Tribe and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights Act), 2006.

The claims were rejected since the implementation of the Act in the state till Dec 31, 2014.

"While 6,09,334 claims have been filed at the gram sabhas, only 4,84,157 claims have been recommended to the sub-division level committee, of which 3,66,985 claims have been approved by the district level committees," said the SC/ST development department in a letter to the Centre recently.

However, an official of the department said the state is performing better than other states in terms of implementation of the act.

The official said there are some problems in implementing the act as some forest land in the state is unsurveyed.