New norms to improve forest rights act

New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) The tribal affairs ministry Thursday issued new guidelines to improve implementation of the forest rights act by expanding the list of items considered as forest produce and easing norms for their transportation.

Tribal Affairs Minister V. Kishore Chandra Deo told mediapersons here that the new guidelines will help remove "problems" in the implementation of the law.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 aims to recognise and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest-dwelling scheduled tribes and other traditional dwellers whose rights could not be recorded.

The act was notified in December 2007 and rules for its implementation were notified in January 2008.

Deo, who assumed charge as tribal affairs minister July last, also said that his ministry was working on a scheme to provide minimum support price for minimum forest produce (MFP).

He said the ministry intended to implement the MSP scheme from Jan 1 next year.