In which year was the Forest Rights Act notified?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) 2007
Explanation:
• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was passed by the Parliament in December 2006.
• However, the Act was officially notified for operation by the Central Government on December 31, 2007.
• This notification brought the provisions of the Act into legal force, marking the beginning of its implementation across India.
• The Act aims to redress the "historical injustice" committed against forest-dwelling communities whose rights were not recorded during the colonial period or post-independence.
• It recognizes and vests the forest rights and occupation in forest land for Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD).
Information Booster:
• The Forest Rights Rules, which provide the procedural framework for the Act, were subsequently notified on January 1, 2008.
• The Gram Sabha is the most important authority under this Act, as it is empowered to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights.
Additional Knowledge:
2006 (Option a)
• This is the year the Act was enacted by the Parliament and received the Presidential assent (December 29, 2006).
• It is commonly referred to as the Forest Rights Act, 2006 based on its year of passage.
2008 (Option c)
• This year marked the notification of the implementation rules (January 1, 2008) and the start of the actual field-level verification of claims.
2009 (Option d)
• While implementation was ongoing, 2009 is notable for a landmark circular from the Ministry of Environment and Forests stating that no forest land could be diverted for non-forest purposes without the consent of the concerned Gram Sabhas under the FRA.