Silchar, Assam: The Cachar District Administration is intensifying efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA).
Yesterday, December 5, 2025, the District Commissioner of Cachar, Shri Mridul Yadav, IAS, chaired a crucial meeting of the District Level Committee (DLC) dedicated to the Act.
Key Attendees and Agenda
The high-level meeting saw the presence of key officials responsible for the ground-level execution of the FRA:
- Shri Norsing Bey, ACS, District Development Commissioner (DDC) & Project Director, ITDP, Silchar.
- Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) from both the Cachar and Sribhumi Divisions.
- Other distinguished members of the District Level Committee.
The proceedings were launched with a detailed presentation that reiterated the salient provisions and objectives of the FRA, 2006—an Act designed to rectify the “historical injustice” faced by forest-dwelling communities.
Focus on Implementation Challenges
While specific agenda items were not disclosed, the meeting comes amidst the ongoing push in the Barak Valley to address long-standing land rights and welfare issues faced by indigenous groups, such as the Khasi-Jaintia communities residing in the region’s forest areas.
The discussions likely centered on:
- Reviewing Claims: Progress in processing both Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and Community Forest Rights (CFR) claims, and reviewing any previously rejected claims, which remains a national challenge.
- Documentation and Procedures: Streamlining documentation and ensuring the Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) and Sub-Divisional Level Committees (SDLCs) adhere strictly to FRA rules and guidelines.
- Inter-Departmental Coordination: Resolving issues arising from a lack of coordination between the Forest and Revenue Departments, a common hurdle in implementation.
The District Commissioner stressed the need for renewed commitment to ensure that forest-dwelling communities receive legal protection over their ancestral land and resources, in line with the government’s development goals.
