The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sent a brief titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights: A Policy Framework for Relocation and Co-existence in India’s Tiger Reserves” to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Key Recommendations 

• Relocation must be voluntary, based on free, prior, and informed consent, without pressure or inducement.
  • Forest Right Act (FRA) provides safeguards against forced eviction.
    • According to FRA, no member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or other traditional forest dwellers shall be evicted or removed from the forest land under his occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.
    • FRA is applicable in National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tiger Reserves.
• Establish a National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation (NFCCR) jointly by the Environment and Tribal Affairs Ministries.

Key Challenges in relocation of forest dwellers 

• Rights vs protection models: Traditional forest conservation treats local peoples as threats rather than partners, undermining FRA’s inclusive vision.
• Livelihood disruption: Restriction of customary forest access and relocation from protected areas cut off income for many Indigenous groups.
• Uneven development & regional disparity: Forest-dependent tribal regions often lag in infrastructure, skills and access compared to high-income states focused on modern services.
• Sustainable Development Goals: Creating a balance between SDG-1 (No Poverty) and SDG-13 (Climate Action).