Community forest rights can end Naxalism. Gadchiroli is an example

Indian Express

a day ago

Home Minister Amit Shah has declared that this government would end Naxalism by 31 March 2026. The Centre has also urged Naxal-affected states to expedite local infrastructure development programmes and provide the best possible rehabilitation packages to surrendered Naxals, while simultaneously continuing operations. These strategies have led to mixed results. Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, in addition to the above strategies, has pushed for the recognition of customary and traditional rights of forest-dwelling communities over forest resources as a strategy to end Naxalism.
Gadchiroli district's recognition of community forest rights (CFRs) is among the most advanced in the country. Forest-dwelling communities of the district collectively own 5,110.07 sq km of the district's 9,902.8 sq km of forest. This is unparalleled in comparison to any other part of the country, especially in a district where the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste populations constitute 38.17 per cent and 11.25 per cent, respectively.
All of this began with the recognition of the first community forest rights in India in August 2009, for the village of Mendha Lekha in Gadchiroli under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, recognises the pre-existing rights of forest-dwelling communities over forest resources irrespective of the classification of forests. These rights, in addition to several customary rights, grant exclusive control to these communities over all types of minor forest produce, including rights to bamboo and tendu leaves, and management rights through the Gram Sabha.
While states across the country remain reluctant to recognise community forest rights and tend to deregulate colonial and post-colonial regulations on minor forest produce, Gadchiroli has witnessed significant developments. The first transit pass to sell bamboo by the Gram Sabha to contractors of their choice was handed over to the Gram Sabha of Mendha Lekha by the then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the then Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. The process of deregulation and recognition of CFRs continued thereafter, despite the shift in political power.
The current Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, during his first tenure (2014–2019), introduced a series of schemes, including financial support of Rs 1.78 lakh, to support the recognised CFR villages. Similarly, the Governor's Office of Maharashtra directed the state to modify its minor forest produce regulations and allowed the Gram Sabhas of Fifth Schedule areas to own, auction, and dispose of their collected minor forest produce to anyone who offers them a better price. Today, 1,109 CFR-recognised villages in the district are exercising these rights and have benefited enormously. The households in CFR-recognised villages earn a minimum of Rs 7,000 per month from forest resources. More importantly, a democratic, decentralised, and transparent process governs the forest resources.
CFRs have provided livelihood security to thousands of forest-dwelling communities, protected tribal autonomy, and ensured the sustainable use of forest resources. Our research shows that forests managed by Gram Sabhas in Gadchiroli have experienced less deforestation than forest areas regulated by the Forest Department, where logging continues in an unsustainable and uncontrolled fashion. Economic outcomes have also been particularly remarkable: reduction in migration, less dependence on middlemen, creation of forest-based employment opportunities, and investment in education and health sectors. Many CFR-recognised Gram Sabhas have reinvested incomes from the forest into improving their recognised CFR areas. They have adopted forest plantation programmes and regularly patrolled the forest to protect it from both internal and external threats.
A combination of factors explains these phenomenal achievements. First is the long history of collective action and grassroots movements initiated by local tribal leaders. They did not depend on external agencies or NGOs for their forest rights. While across the country the implementation of the FRA is largely NGO-driven, the case of Gadchiroli has been unique — driven by organic local initiatives. Also vital has been the district leadership and administration's genuine commitment to the decentralisation of decision-making over forests, irrespective of political alignment. The District Collector's office has initiated a series of activities, making policies at the Gram Sabha level more responsive to sustainable tribal livelihood and forest conservation. To date, the administration has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 728 Gram Sabhas to provide necessary technical and financial support in the development, management, and implementation of the recognised CFR areas.
Nevertheless, numerous challenges continue for forest-dwelling communities, especially in South Gadchiroli. Many villagers are afraid of displacement due to recent mining proposals. The Maharashtra government needs to ensure that its proposed development model—including steel plants, and mining proposals in tribal-populated areas—does not inhibit the exercise of recognised rights and safeguards under PESA (Provisions of the Panchayats [Extension to Scheduled Areas] Act) and FRA. It also needs to streamline its progressive district and block-level convergence schemes, implement them in a concerted manner, and provide communities with greater support to ensure their well-being and local development.
Gadchiroli's community forest rights have been a success. The district administration's strategy — combining rehabilitation packages, local infrastructure development, and decentralisation of power — is worth replicating in other Naxal-affected areas in the country.
The writer is a Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai