Discrepancies in Forest Rights Titles Reported in Chhattisgarh

Context:

Thousands of forest rights titles in at least three districts of Chhattisgarh have reportedly disappeared from official records over the past 17 months, raising concerns over data accuracy and implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006:

Enacted to recognise and vest forest rights and occupation in forest land to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs).
Covers Individual Forest Rights (IFR) for cultivation and habitation, and Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) for using, managing, and conserving forests.
Rights are heritable but not alienable or transferable.

Current Discrepancy in Chhattisgarh

Data Reduction:
- Bastar IFR titles fell from 37,958 (Jan 2024) to 35,180 (May 2025).
- Rajnandgaon CFRR titles reduced from 40 to 20 in one month.
- Bijapur CFRR titles dropped from 299 to 297 within a month.
Officials attribute changes to “miscommunication and reporting errors” between Gram Sabha, Sub-divisional, and District levels.
Experts note no legal provision exists to withdraw granted FRA titles.

Chhattisgarh’s Role in FRA Implementation

As of May 2025, Chhattisgarh accounts for over 43% of total forest area under FRA titles in India.
FRA not implemented in Raipur, Durg, and Bemetara
In districts recently declared free of Naxalism, FRA progress remains slow.