# Jammu and Kashmir speeds up Forest Rights Act claims 2026-08-06T13:57:35+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Jammu and Kashmir’s Tribal Affairs department will serve as the nodal agency for implementing the Forest Rights Act, 2006, Minister Javed Ahmed Rana announced on August 1, 2026. The Forest Department has been told to follow the prescribed process before issuing eviction notices. Forest dwellers should not be evicted before their claims are recognised and verified. A three-member Project Monitoring Unit has been formed, and deputy commissioners have been asked to clear pending cases. The government stressed the Gram Sabha’s statutory role in receiving and forwarding claims. The move follows tensions over eviction drives in parts of Jammu, including Sunjwan, Bathindi, Raika and Sidhra, and protests by BJP legislators. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: eviction claims, Forest Rights Act, Jammu and Kashmir, tribal affairs Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/jammu-and-kashmir-speeds-up-forest-rights-act-claims/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/jammu-and-kashmir-speeds-up-forest-rights-act-claims/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.