JharFRA: Transforming Forest Governance in Jharkhand through Technology

07.11.24

On 6 November 2023, the Honourable Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Shri Hemant Soren, launched the Abua Bir Abua Dishom (ABAD) Abhiyan—meaning ‘Our Forest, Our Country’—in Ranchi. This campaign aims to grant land ownership (pattas) to forest dwellers under the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, commonly referred to as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

To support this effort, the Government of Jharkhand has collaborated with several knowledge and technology partners, including the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) and its partner organisation, Phia Foundation, as well as the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) at the Indian School of Business (ISB).

The initiative seeks to expedite the processing of both pending and new claims over the coming months, ensuring that all eligible tribal and forest-dwelling communities receive their rightful land entitlements. The campaign is expected to benefit over one lakh individuals and facilitate access to Individual Forest Rights (IFR) as well as Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) in 10,000 villages across Jharkhand.

As part of this initiative, a dedicated mobile application (the JharFRA app) and campaign website have been launched, accompanied by a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) booklet, a user manual for the app, and various other supporting resource materials. These tools have been developed to streamline and standardise the process of filing claims under the FRA.

Our team visited Ranchi and met with key stakeholders from the Departments of Revenue, Registration & Land Reforms; Forest, Environment & Climate Change; and Information Technology & e-Governance to assist in integrating technology into the campaign.

Furthermore, significant discussions were held with officials from the Forest Department—particularly with Chief Conservator of Forests (Research), Shri Siddharth Tripathi; Divisional Forest Officer (Social Forestry), Shri Vikas Ujjwal; and the department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) team—to explore collaborative opportunities with ISB. The Forest Department has expressed keen interest in refining its satellite imagery-based tool designed to identify eligible areas for IFR claims. Should this tool prove effective, it may be integrated into the JharFRA app dashboard. Additionally, the department plans to test the app’s functionality through field implementation.

To strengthen institutional capacity, the FRA Cell is developing a comprehensive training plan based on a cascading model, extending from the state to district and panchayat levels. The plan aims to train Master Trainers who will, in turn, train government officials and Bir Bandhus (volunteers who assist forest-dependent communities in managing and protecting their forest rights). As part of this effort, a specialised training programme is being designed to familiarise 30 Technology Master Trainers with the JharFRA app. These trainers will then guide Bir Bandhus in effectively using the app over a period of three months.

Jharkhand’s ABAD Abhiyan stands out as a beacon of transformative forest governance. Driven by technology and strategic collaborations, the campaign will not only streamline the process of recognising land rights but also positively impact the lives of tribal and forest communities. The integration of the JharFRA app with comprehensive training programmes reflects a forward-thinking approach, marking a significant step towards inclusive and effective forest governance in the region.