Even as joint security forces continue operations across several States to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resolve on a ‘Naxal-Mukt Bharat’ by March 2026, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that his government’s “foremost priority is to ensure that every forest land lease holding family received their rightful entitlements”.
An official told The Hindu that this flows from the government’s thinking that “there is a clear correlation between FRA (Forest Rights Act) enforcement and reduced Naxal activity”. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, recognises and vests forest rights with Scheduled Tribes and forest-dwelling communities.
Community rights and forest conservation | Explained
“The approach is holistic, combining rights recognition, economic empowerment, and security measures to strengthen tribal self-governance and counter extremism,” the official said, adding, “Reports from the ground indicate that in districts with robust FRA implementation, Naxal recruitment has dropped. Gram Sabhas now resolve many local disputes without Maoist interference, showcasing the positive impact of tribal self-governance.”
In response to questions on FRA implementation in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled State, the Chief Minister told The Hindu that his government had streamlined the ‘fauti naamantaran’ — the process of transferring ownership of land after the death of the leaseholder as well, “so that legal heirs face no hurdles”.
