Forest Rights Act 2006 Implementation

Under the Forest Rights Act 2006, the Gram Sabha is the authority empowered to initiate and oversee the process for determining individual and community forest rights. The Act places significant emphasis on the role of gram sabhas as they are closest to the forest-dwelling communities and best understand their historical relationship with the forests. The Gram Sabha conducts inquiries, verifies claims, and passes resolutions recognizing forest rights before these are formally processed by government authorities. While the District Collector and other revenue officials play roles in verification and certification, the initial authority to determine and recognize forest rights rests with the Gram Sabha. The State Forest Department is primarily a regulatory body. This reflects the Act's philosophy of community participation in recognizing traditional rights. > Forest Rights Act 2006: Gram Sabha is the initiating authority — empowering communities to assert their traditional forest rights. Answer: (d).