Maharashtra launches special drive to grant forest land rights to tribal farmers
Mumbai, Sep 9 (IANS) In a major initiative to strengthen land rights for tribal communities, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced a statewide, time-bound campaign to grant full legal ownership rights to tribal families cultivating forest land but lacking formal titles or holding incomplete land rights.
Announcing the initiative, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that a state-wide, time-bound drive will be organized from September 17 to October 2, 2026 — commencing on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and concluding on Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti.
Minister Bawankule highlighted that many tribal farmers cultivate larger land parcels but hold titles covering only a fraction (such as half or 1.1 acres) of their actual holdings, while others remain entirely deprived of rights despite active cultivation.
This campaign aims to resolve all pending claims and issue official title certificates (Adhikarkatras). Village Level Forest Rights Committees will meet for three consecutive days from September 17 to 19 to review and approve claims of tribal farmers who hold unrecorded or partially recorded forest lands. Special Gram Sabhas will be convened across three days from September 30 to October 2 to grant official community approval to the claims cleared by village-level committees.
Following Gram Sabha clearance, proposals will be submitted to Sub-Divisional and District Level Forest Rights Committees for swift, final sanction within fixed deadlines.
Under this initiative, once forest titles are sanctioned, all eligible tribal farmers will be issued new Property Cards, 7/12 extracts, and Form No. 12. Tribal farmers who already possess forest titles will be provided with Form 6 to 12 extracts, said the Minister.
“No eligible tribal farmer cultivating land in the state will be left without a Property Card or 7/12 extract,” Minister Bawankule affirmed.
He said that clear instructions have been issued ensuring no eligible tribal farmer is denied land rights merely due to administrative or technical errors in records. Through close coordination between the Revenue and Forest Departments, verified names, survey numbers, and exact land measurements will be reconciled to issue official titles under the 7-E/12-E format, Minister Bawankule said.
According to the Minister, District Collectors will personally monitor the execution of the campaign. Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) will conduct regular reviews, while Tehsildars and field staff hold direct operational responsibility for completing all assigned tasks within the specified timelines.
Meanwhile, in a major policy push to boost investment and economic development across the state, the Maharashtra government has launched the integrated digital platform, MahaBhumi Stack. Designed to serve as a unified gateway for all land buying, selling, and administrative operations, the system consolidates previously fragmented services under a single portal.
Minister Bawankule said that the single-window platform unifies scattered land-related services across ten major categories. He stated that the initiative marks a significant milestone for the Revenue Department in furthering the government’s vision of ‘Ease of Living’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’.
The integrated platform is expected to eliminate procedural hurdles, reduce fraudulent practices, and streamline transaction workflows, offering immense relief to farmers and landowners across the state, the Minister said.
–IANS
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