No provision in Forest Rights Act to obtain gram sabha consent for projects: Ministry

Gist The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs MoTA has officially informed the Ministry of Power that the Forest Rights Act FRA , 2006 contains no provision requiring Gram Sabha consent for forest clearances, claiming such matters fall outside its purview. This stance emerged after a parliamentary panel suggested diluting the current 100% consent requirement to a "qualified super-majority" to expedite delayed hydropower projects. Aspirants must track this development as it highlights a critical bureaucratic and legal conflict over who protects tribal rights when forest lands are diverted for national infrastructure. Background The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006 commonly the FRA recognizes and vests forest rights in forest-dwelling communities. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs MoTA is explicitly designated by the FRA as the nodal ministry responsible for its implementation, though on-ground execution rests with State and Union Territory governments. While the text of the FRA does not specifically mandate "consent" for diverting forest land for non-forestry purposes, the operational guidelines under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 bridge this gap. These 1980 Act…