10-November-2024

Transforming Forest Rights Recognition through Technology in Jharkhand

On October 18-19, 2023, the State FRA Cell conducted an extensive field test of RatiFi within JharFRA in Simdega district, evaluating its usability at three governance levels—Forest Rights Committees (FRCs), Sub-Divisional Level Committees (SDLCs), and District Level Committees (DLCs). The objective was to ensure that the digital claim-filing system is efficient, accessible, and responsive to local challenges.

In Jharkhand's forested landscapes, securing Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) and Individual Forest Rights (IFR) has long been a challenge due to complex documentation processes, slow bureaucratic approvals, and accessibility barriers for forest-dependent communities. Under the Abua Bir Abua Dishom Abhiyan (ABAD), the Jharkhand government has been working to streamline the claim-filing process and scale up community tenure recognition. A key technological intervention in this initiative is JharFRA, a state-customized digital platform for FRA implementation, which now integrates RatiFi—a cutting-edge claim-filing application developed by the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) at ISB.

Testing RatiFi-JharFRA in the Field

The pilot testing began in Buruergi village, Bano block, where the team worked closely with local FRC members to test the boundary mapping feature for claims. Using GPS-enabled tools, the app allowed villagers to digitally mark land parcels, reducing the dependency on manual paper-based maps. For CFR claims, the team registered the FRC chairperson, uploaded filled forms, and demonstrated how the SDLC and DLC could access, review, and track claims in real-time.

Beyond the village-level testing, government officials at the block and district levels, including the Circle Officer (CO), Block Development Officer (BDO), District Welfare Officer (DWO), and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), were trained on using JharFRA's dashboard with RatiFi integration. By linking local governance structures directly to claim processing workflows, this digital transformation aims to reduce delays, enhance transparency, and ensure accountability at every step of the claim approval process.

The testing process identified key challenges that need to be addressed to optimize RatiFi within JharFRA:

These insights reflect the ground-level realities of digital adoption in governance. While technology offers significant advantages, its success depends on how intuitive, stable, and adaptable the platform is for both communities and government officials.

RatiFi's Evolution: From Testing to Implementation

Originally designed as an independent claim-filing tool, RatiFi has now been fully customized for JharFRA, aligning with the ABAD campaign's mission to accelerate tenure recognition across Jharkhand. The Government of Jharkhand has adopted JharFRA as its official digital platform for FRA implementation, integrating RatiFi's innovative features to simplify the claim process, track approvals, and provide real-time feedback mechanisms.

The next phase of deployment will focus on:

Addressing Challenges Through Technology

A Transformational Step in Forest Rights Recognition

Jharkhand is leading the way in digital governance for forest rights by leveraging technology to simplify claims, enhance accountability, and empower communities, the state is setting a replicable model for forest tenure recognition across India.

For forest-dependent communities, securing legal rights over their land is not just about ownership—it is about economic stability, sustainable livelihoods, and long-term resilience. With JharFRA's technology-driven approach, the dream of secure tenure and community-led forest governance is now closer to reality than ever before.