Statewide Capacity-Building Trainings on Community Forest Resource Rights under the Forest Rights Act

Across multiple districts—including Dindori, Mandla and Narmadapuram—comprehensive two-day capacity-building programmes were conducted to strengthen implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, with a strong focus on Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights under Section 3(1)(i). These trainings, organized by District Panchayats and the Tribal Affairs Department, brought together sub-divisional and district-level Forest Rights Committee members, master trainers, revenue and forest officials, and non-government representatives to deepen understanding of claim procedures, required documentation, institutional roles, and post-recognition governance responsibilities.

The sessions emphasized structured claim preparation, verification pathways from Gram Sabha to district-level committees, and the development of model villages to demonstrate best practices in CFR recognition and management. Throughout these programmes, ATREE played a significant technical role, with Mohit Mahajan—ATREE’s District FRA Coordinator—leading and delivering trainings across all locations. Serving as State-Level Master Trainer and district trainer, he provided detailed procedural guidance, ensured consistency in interpretation of legal provisions, and anchored discussions on conservation-linked governance, making him influential in shaping the coherence and effectiveness of the entire training rollout.