UPSC Prelims 2013 · GS Paper I
Question 26: Polity and Governance
Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).
Under Section 6 of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the Gram Sabha is the authority to initiate the process of determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights. It receives claims, verifies them and passes a resolution, which then goes to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee and the District Level Committee. Forest and revenue officials only assist; they do not start the process.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Wrong. The Forest Department does not initiate the process.
- (b) Wrong. The District Collector heads the District Level Committee, which acts later.
- (c) Wrong. Revenue and block officials assist, but do not initiate.
- (d) Correct. The Gram Sabha initiates the process.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2013, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.