Democratising Forest Governance: Challenges Old and New

Sixteen years after the Forest Rights Act, 2006, only
three states have recognised a significant number of
community forest resource rights, and only
one of them (Maharashtra) has enabled their
operationalisation. While the outcomes in Maharashtra
have been impressive, violations abound elsewhere.
Even where recognised, state agencies refuse to let go of
their monopolies. Despite the recent upsurge of interest
at the central level, democratising forest governance in
India remains an uphill task.