Answer the following questions by selecting the correct/most appropriate option.

Consider the following statements about forests:
A. ‘Torang’ means forest in Kuduk language.
B. The Village Council (Panchayat) in Jharkhand decides which family will get how much land for farming, by lottery.
C. The Right to Forest Act, 2007 gives the rights to people who have been living in the forest for at least 15 years.
D. About three-fourth people in Mizoram are linked to the forest.
The correct statements are:

Correct option is A

Statement A is correct as ‘Torang’ refers to forests in the Kuduk language, a language spoken by the tribal communities in Jharkhand. Statement D is also correct because a significant portion of the population in Mizoram depends on forests for their livelihood, with many engaged in jhum (shifting) cultivation and forest-related activities. Statements B and C are incorrect: the Right to Forest Act, 2006 (not 2007) provides forest rights to people living in forests for at least 75 years, not 15 years, and Panchayats do not allocate land by lottery.

Information Booster:

• Kuduk Language: Spoken by the Oraon tribe, it is a Dravidian language predominantly used in Jharkhand.
• Mizoram and Forests: Around 74% of the state's population is linked to forests, relying on them for agriculture, firewood, and minor forest products.
• The Right to Forest Act, 2006: Provides land and forest use rights to traditional forest dwellers.
• Jhum Cultivation: A traditional farming practice in northeastern India, including Mizoram.