Strengthening the constitution of Gram Sabha to enable CFR implementation in Simdega, Jharkhand

Villages are now holding Gram Sabha meetings to establish or re-establish Forest Rights Committees, which are crucial to initiate the process of recognizing Community Forest Resource rights. One such meeting took place in Jambudsoya revenue village and saw more than 100 attendees from the village, marking a significant turnout for the first ever Gram Sabha. Village leaders such as the Panchayat Mukhiya, Gram Pradhan, and Gram Sachiv expressed their support and encouraged residents to participate. The participation was diverse, with 50% representation from women from every hamlet. 

Representatives from JJBA and ISB-BIPP explained the purpose, process, and importance of Community Forest Rights (CFR) claim filing to the attendees, and the Gram Sachiv recorded the proceedings and attendees’ details in the CFR register. The attendees were informed about the process and future steps through clear process flow posters. 

The success of the initiative was reflected in minor incidents, such as a newly elected Forest Rights Committee member expressing his happiness at being the first non-tribal OBC person in the village committee, and the appreciation and support of prominent village members. BIPP-ISB is working on training the elected presidents and secretaries of the FRCs to successfully use Ratifi for the complete bulk documentation process.