Shimla, Himachal Pradesh | 17 January, 2026
Strict directions issued to expedite pending FRA in Shimla
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi today reviewed the implementation of FRA in Shimla district and strictly directed officers to expedite all pending cases under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their rights in a time-bound and transparent manner.
Chairing a review meeting in Shimla, the Minister assessed the progress of individual and community claims filed under the Act and emphasized that the Forest Rights Act was a crucial welfare legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of forest-dwelling communities. He said that coordinated and proactive efforts by all departments were essential for the effective implementation of FRA in Shimla district.
Revenue Minister stresses timely disposal of FRA cases
During the meeting, Jagat Singh Negi directed officials to accelerate the processing of FRA-related cases and work with a clear roadmap so that the majority of pending cases are resolved by March 2026. He said that the successful implementation of the Act was a shared responsibility of the Revenue, Forest and Rural Development departments.
The Minister took feedback from Sub-Divisional Officers of Rohru, Jubbal, Chopal, Shimla Rural and Kupvi regarding the status of claims and field-level challenges affecting the implementation of FRA in Shimla district.
Status of Forest Rights Act claims in Shimla district
It was informed that Shimla district has so far received 262 individual and community claims at the Gram Sabha level. Out of these, 196 cases have been forwarded by the Forest Rights Committees to the Sub-Divisional Level Committees for further scrutiny.
The Minister also reviewed the institutional framework under the Act and was apprised that 2,266 Forest Rights Committees have been constituted across the district. These include:
| Sub-Division / Area | Number of Forest Rights Committees |
|---|---|
| Chopal | 277 |
| Dodra-Kwar | 9 |
| Jubbal | 129 |
| Kotkhai | 215 |
| Kupvi | 53 |
| Kumarsain | 154 |
| Rampur | 216 |
| Rohru | 170 |
| Shimla Rural | 473 |
| Shimla Urban | 19 |
| Sunni | 180 |
| Theog | 371 |
| Total | 2,266 |
About the Forest Rights Act
A detailed presentation was made during the meeting explaining the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The Act provides for the recognition of land and forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and other eligible forest-dependent communities who have been residing on forest land for at least three generations prior to December 13, 2005, and are dependent on forests for their livelihood.
Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, all SDMs of the district, tehsildars, forest officers and other revenue officials were present in the meeting.
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