Chief Minister of Goa chaired a high-level meeting with key administrative officials—including the Chief Secretary, Revenue Secretary, CCF, Zonal Officers, District Collectors, and staff from the Tribal Department—to review the status of forest rights claims in the state.
Out of a total of 10,500 claims, 871 cases have been cleared while 949 were rejected as they pertain to revenue land and fall outside the scope of forest rights. To expedite the resolution of the remaining claims, a comprehensive action plan has been announced.
Special camps to address 1,965 pending cases will be held on June 14, 2025, at six talukas: Quepem, Canacona, Sanguem, Ponda, Dharbandora, and Sattari. Claimants have been asked to bring the specific documents required by the Forest Rights Department for processing their applications.
In parallel, 3,970 cases currently pending with Deputy Collectors will be taken up for disposal on June 18, 2025. To support this effort, 150 out of 564 Sanads will be distributed during a program at Ponda on June 9.
Additionally, special Gram Sabhas will be held on June 21, 2025, in Panchayats where cases are still pending. The government has set an ambitious target to clear all 10,500 forest rights claims by December 19, 2025.
This systematic and phased approach reflects the state’s commitment to addressing long-pending forest rights issues and ensuring rightful ownership and recognition for tribal and forest-dwelling communities.