PANAJI: The state government has set a deadline to dispose of all pending forest rights claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced during a press briefing today.
“By December 19, 2025, I am confident that 100% of forest rights claims will be resolved,” the CM said, adding that in the 11 years of the Double Engine Government, this is the most progress made on FRA cases in the state.
Sawant outlined the state government’s plan to expedite the process, including a special drive with dedicated camps and meetings to fast-track long-pending applications.
The government has scheduled special camps across six talukas, Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem, Ponda, Dharbandora, and Sattari, on June 14. These will assist applicants from 10 am to 1 pm at designated government offices. A Special Gram Sabha is planned for June 21 to deal with sanad-related cases and pending claims, while Deputy Collectors will hold meetings on June 18 to address hundreds of cases awaiting clearance.
Sawant said 150 sanads are already prepared for distribution and stressed that attendance at these camps is crucial. “Failing to bring documents on the assigned day could delay cases by another three months,” he warned.
Over 10,500 claims have been filed under the FRA in Goa, of which 870 have been approved and 949 rejected so far. The CM explained that the multi-stage verification and approval process, from the Gram Sabha to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) and the Collector, has been ongoing for the past six years.
“The land, especially meant for the Scheduled Tribe community, is now being demarcated and converted from forest land to revenue land,” Sawant said, adding that the entire government machinery, from the Collector to the Panchayat level, is working with the Tribal Department to ensure rightful land ownership is granted to tribal communities.
