LexThe Scheduled Tribes and others Traditional Forest Dwellers Recognition of Forest Right Act 2006
Tamil Nadu · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this actREGISTER NO.DL-(N) 04/0007/2006-08
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA
EXTRAORDINARY
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No.2 NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2007/PAUSA 12, 1928
Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation.
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(Legislative Department)
New Delhi, the 2nd January, 2007/Pausa 12, 1928 (Saka)
The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 29the
December, 2006, and is hereby published for general information:-
THE SCHEDULED TRIBES AND OTHER TRADITIONAL FOREST DWELLERS
(RECOGNITION OF FOREST TIGHTS) ACT, 2006
No.2 of 2007
[29th December, 2006]
An Act to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling
Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in such forests
for generations but whose rights could not be recorded: to provide for a framework for
recording the forest rights so vested and the nature of evidence required for such recognition
and vesting in respect of forest land.
WHEREAS the recognized rights of the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers include the respon sibilities and authority for sustainable use,
conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecological balance and thereby strengthening
the conservation regime of the forests while ensuring livelihood and food security of the
forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers;
AND WHEREAS the forest rights on ancestral lands and their habitat were not adequately
recognized in the consolidation of State forests during the colonial period as well as in
independent India resulting in historical injustice to the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and
other traditional forest dwellers who are integral to the very survival and sustainability of the
forest ecosystem;
AND WHEREAS it has become necessary to address the long standing insecurity of tenurial
and access rights of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other tra ditional forest dwellers
including those who were forced to relocate their dwelling due to State development
interventions.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty -seventh Year of the Republic of India as
follows:-
2
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
Short title and commencement:
1. (1) This Act may be called the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest
Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
(2) In extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
Definitions:
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,---
(a) "community forest resource" means customary common forest land within the
traditional or customary boundaries of the village or seasonal use of landscape in
the case of pastoral communities, including reserved forests, protected forests and
protected areas such as Sanctuaries and National Parks to which the community
had traditional access;
(b) "critical wildlife habitat" means such areas of National Parks and Sanctuaries
where it has been specifically and clearly established, case by case, on the basis of
scientific and objective criteria, that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate
for the purposes of wildlife conservation as may be determined and notified by the
Central Government in the Ministry of Environment & Forests after open process
of consultation by an Expert Committee, which includes experts from the locality
appointed by that Gove rnment wherein a representative of the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs shall also be included, in determining such areas according to the
procedural requirements arising from sub-section (1) and (2) of section 4;
(c) "forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes" means the mem bers or community of the
Scheduled Tribes who primarily reside in and who depend on the forest or forest
lands for bonafide livelihood needs and includes the Scheduled Tribe pastoralist
communities;
(d) "forest land" means land of nay description falling withi n any forest area and
includes unclassified forests, undemarcated forests, existing or deemed forests,
protected forests, reserved forests, Sanctuaries and National Parks;
(e) "forest rights" means the forest rights referred to in section 3;
(f) "forest villages" means the settlements which have been established inside the
forests by the forest department of nay State Government for forestry operations
or which were converted into forest villages through the forest reservation process
and includes forest settlement villages, fixed demand holdings, all types of
taungya settlements, by whatever name called, for such village and includes lands
for cultivation and other uses permitted by the Government;
(g) "Gram Sabha" means a village assembly which shall consist of all ad ult members
of a village and in case of States having no Panchayats, Pads, Tolas and other
traditional village institutions and elected village committees, with full and
unrestricted participation of women;
3
(h) "habitat" includes the area comprising the custo mary habitat and such other
habitats in reserved forests and protected forests of primitive tribal groups and
pre-agricultural communities and other forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes;
(i) "minor forest produce" includes all non -timber forest produce of plant or igin
including bamboo, brush wood, stu mps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac,
tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers and the like;
(j) "nodal agency" means the nodal agency specified in section 11;
(k) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette:
(l) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(m) "Scheduled Areas" means the Scheduled Areas referred to
in clause (1) of article 244 of the Constitution;
11 of 2003
(n) "sustainable use" shall have the s ame meaning as assigned to it in clause (o) of
section 2 of the Biological Diversity Act. 2002;
(o) "other traditional forest dweller" means any member or community who has for at
least three generations prior to the 13th day of December, 2005 primarily reside d
in and who depend on the forest or forest land foe bona fide livelihood needs.
Explanation:- for the purpose of this clause, "generation" means a period
comprising of twenty-five years;
(p) "village" means-
40 of 1996
(i) a village referred to in clause (b) of section 4 of the Provision of the
Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996; or
(ii) any area referred to as a village in any State law relating to Panchayats other
than the Scheduled Areas; or
(iii) forest villages, old habitation or settlements and unsurveyed villages, whether
notified as village or not; or
(iv) in the case of States where there are no Panchayats, the traditional village, by
whatever name called;
53 of 1972
(q)"wild animal" means any species of animal specified in Scheduled I to IV of the
Wild Life (Protection)Act, 1972 and found wild in nature.
4
CHAPTER II
FOREST RIGHTS
Forest rights of Forest dwelling scheduled Tribes and Other traditional forest dwellers.
3. (1) For the purpose of this Act, the following rights, which secure individual or community
tenure or bot, shall be the forest rights of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers on all forest lands, namely:-
(a) right to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or common occupation
for habitation or for self -cultivation of livelihood by a member or members of a
forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes or other traditional forest dwellers;
(b) community rights such as nistar, by whatever name called, including those used in
erstwhile Princely States, Zamindari or such intermediary regimes;
(c) right of ownership, access to collect, use, and dispose of minor forest produce
which has been traditional collected within or outside village boundaries;
(d) other community rights of uses or entitlements such as fish and other products of
water bodies, grazing (both settled or transhumant) and traditional seasonal
resource access of nomadic or pastoralist communities;
(e) rights including community tenures of habitat and habitation of primitive tribal
groups and pre-agricultural communities;
(f) rights in or over disputed lands under any nomenclature in any State where claims
are disputed;
(g) rights for conversion of Patta or leases or grants issued by any local authority or
any State Government on forest lands to titles;
(h) rights of se ttlement and conversion of all forest villages, old habitation,
unsurveyed villages and other villages in forests, whether recorded, notified or not
into revenue villages;
(i) right to protect, regenerates or conserve of manage any community forest re source
which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use;
(j) rights which are recognized under any State law or laws of any Autonomous
District Council or Autonomous Regional Council or which are accepted as rights
of tribals under nay traditional or customary law of the concerned tribes of any
State;
(k) right of access to biodiversity and community right to intellectual property and
traditional knowledge related to biodiversity and cultural diversity;
(l) any other traditional right customaril y enjoyed by the forest dwelling Scheduled
Tribes or other traditional forest dwellers, as the case may be, which are not
mentioned in clauses (a) to (k) but excluding the traditional right of hunting or
trapping or extracting a part of the body of any species of wild animal;
5
(m) right to in situ rehabilitation including alternative land in cases where the
Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers have been illegally
evicted or displaced from forest land of any description without receiving their
legal entitlement to rehabilitation prior to the 13th of December, 2005.
69 of 1980
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the
Central Government shall provide for diversion of forest land for the following facilitie s
managed by the Government which involve felling of trees not exceeding seventy -five trees
per hectare, namely:-
(a) schools
(b) dispensary or hospital
(c) anganwadis
(d) fair price shops
(e) electric and telecommunication lines;
(f) tanks and other minor water bodies;
(g) drinking water supply and water pipelines;
(h) water or rain water harvesting structures;
(i) minor irrigation canals;
(j) non-conventional source of energy;
(k) skill up gradation or vocational training centres;
(l) roads; and
(m) community centres;
Provided that such diversion of forest land shall be allowed only if,-
(i) the forest land to be diverted for the purposes mentioned in this sub -section is less
than one hectare in each case; and
(ii) the clearance of such developmental projects shall be subject to the condition that
the same is recommended by the Gram Sabha.
6
CHAPTER III
RECOGNITION, RESTORATION AND VESTING OF FOREST RIGHTS AND
RELATED MATTERS
Recognition of, and vesting or, forest rights in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers
4. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, and
subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government hereby recognizes and vests
forest rights in;-
(a) the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes in States or areas in States where they are
declared as Scheduled Tribes in respect of all forest rights mentioned in section 3;
(b) the other traditional forest dwellers in respect of all forest rights mentioned in section
3;
(2) The forest rights recognized under this Act in critical wildlife habi tats of National
Parks and Sanctuaries may subsequently be modified or resettled, provided that no forest
rights holders shall be resettled or have their rights in any manner affected for the purposes of
creating inviolate areas for wildlife conservation e xcept in case all the following conditions
are satisfied, namely:-
(a) the process of recognition and vesting or rights as specified in section 6 is complete in
all the areas under consideration;
53 of 1972
(b) it has been established by the concerned agencies of the State Government, en
exercise of their powers under the Wild Life ( Protection) Act, 1972 that the
activities or impact of the present of holders of rights upon wild animals is sufficient
to cause irreversible damage and threaten the existence o f said species and their
habitat;
(c) the State Government has concluded that other reasonable options, such as, co -
existence are not available;
(d) a resettlement or alternatives package has been prepared and communicated that
provides a secure livelihood for the affected individuals and communities and fulfills
the requirements of such affected individuals and communities given in the relevant
laws and the policy of the Central Government;
(e) the free informed consent of the Gram Sabhas in the areas concerned to the proposed
resettlement and to the package has been obtained in writing;
(f) no resettlement shall take place until facilities and land allocation at the resettlement
location are complete as per the promised package;
Provided that the critical wildlife habitat s from which rights holders are thus relocated for
purposes of wildlife conservation shall not be subsequently diverted by the State Government
or the Central Government or any other entity for other uses.
7
(3) The recognition and vesting of forest rights u nder this Act to the forest dwelling
Scheduled Tribes and to other traditional forest dwellers in relation to any State or Union
territory in respect of forest land and their habitat shall be subject to the condition that such
Scheduled Tribes or tribal co mmunities or other traditional forest dwellers had occupied
forest land before the 13th day of December, 2005.
(4) A right conferred by sub -section (1) shall be heritable but not alienable or
transferable and shall be registered jointly in the name of both the spouses in case of married
persons and in the name of the single head in the case of a household headed by a single
person and in the absence of a direct heir, the heritable right shall pass on to the next - of -
kin.
(5) Save as otherwise provided, n o member of a forest dwelling Scheduled Tribe or
other traditional forest dweller shall be evicted or removed form forest land under his
occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete.
(6) Where the forest rights recognized and vest ed by sub-section (1) are in respect of
land mentioned in clause (a) of subsection (1) of section 3 such land shall be under the
occupation of an individual or family or community on the date of commencement of this Act
and shall be restricted to the area under actual occupation and shall in no case exceed an area
of four hectares.
69 of 1980
(7) The forest rights shall be conferred free of all encumbrances and procedural
requirements, including clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, requireme nt of
paying the 'net present value' and 'compensatory afforestation' for diversion of forest land,
except those specified in this Act.
(8) The forest rights recognized and vested under this Act shall include the right of
land to forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who can
establish that they were displaced from their dwelling and cultivation without land
compensation due to State development interventions, and where the land has not been used
for the purpose for which it was acquired within five years of the said acquisition.
Duties of holders of forest rights.
5. The holder of any forest right, Gram Sabha and village level institutions in areas
where there are holders of any forest right under this Act are empowered to:-
(a) protect the wild life, forest and biodiversity;
(b) ensure that adjoining catchments area, water sources and other ecological sensitive
areas are adequately protected;
(c) ensure that the habitat of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest
dwellers is preserved from any form of destructive practices affecting their cultural
and natural heritage;
(d) ensure that the decisions taken in the Gram Sabha to regulate access to community
forest resources and stop any activity which adversely affects the w ild animals, forest
and the biodiversity are complied with.
8
CHAPTER IV
AUTHORITIES AND PROCEDURE FOR VESTING OF FOREST RIGHTS
Authorities to vest forest rights in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers and procedure thereof.
6. (1) The Gram Sabha shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the
nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both that may be given to
the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers w ithin the local
limits of its jurisdiction under this Act by receiving claims, consolidating and verifying
them and preparing a map delineating the area of each recommended claim to such
manner as may be prescribed for exercise of such rights and the Gram Sabha shall, then,
pass a resolution to that effect and thereafter forward a copy of the same to the Sub -
Divisional Level Committee.
(2) Any person aggrieved by the resolution of the Gram Sabha may prefer a petition
to the Sub -Divisional Level Committee c onstituted under sub -section (3) and the Sub -
Divisional Level Committee shall consider and dispose of such petition;
Provided that every such petition shall be preferred within sixty days form the date of
passing of the resolution by the Gram Sabha;
Provided further that no such petition shall be disposed of against the aggrieved
person, unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity to present his case.
(3) The State Government shall constitute a Sub -Divisional Level Committee to
examine the resolution passed by the Gram Sabha and prepare the record of forest rights
and forward it through the Sub -Divisional Officer to the District Level Committee for a
final decision.
(4) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Sub-Divisional Level Committee may
prefer petition to the District Level Committee within sixty days from the date of decision
of the Sub -Divisional Level Committee and the District Level Committee shall consider
and dispose of such petition;
Provided that not petition shall be preferred direc tly before the District Level
Committee against the resolution of the Gram Sabha unless the same has been preferred
before and considered by the Sub-Divisional Level Committee;
Provided further that no such petition shall be disposed of against the aggriev ed
person, unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity to present his case;
(5) The State Government shall constitute a District Level Committee to consider and
finally approve the record of forest rights prepared by the Sub -Divisional Level
Committee.
(6) The decision of the District Level Committee on the record of forest rights shall be
final and binding.
(7) The State Government shall constitute a State Level Monitoring Committee to
monitor the process of recognition and vesting of forest rights a nd to submit to the nodal
agency such returns and reports as maybe called for by that agency.
9
(8) The Sub- Divisional Level Committee, the District Level Committee and the State
Level Monitoring Committee shall consist of officers of the department of Reve nue,
Forest and Tribal Affairs of the State Government and three members of the Panchayat
Raj Institutions at the appropriate level, appointed by the respective Panchayati Raj
Institutions, of whom two shall be the Scheduled Tribe members and at least one shall be
a woman, as may be prescribed.
(9) The composition and functions of the Sub -Divisional Level Committee, the
District Level Committee and the State Level Monitoring Committee and the procedure to
be followed by them in the discharge of their functions shall be such as my be prescribed.
CHAPTER V
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Offences by members or officers of authorities and Committees under this Act
7. Where any authority or Committee or officer or member of such authority or
Committee contravenes any provision of this Act or nay rule made thereunder concerning
recognition of forest rights, it, or they, shall be deemed to be guilty of an offence under
this Act and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished with fine which may
extend to one thousand rupees;
Provided that nothing contained in this sub -section shall render any member of the
authority or Committee or head of the department or any person referred to in this section
liable to any punishment if he proves that the offence was committe d without his
knowledge or that he had exercised all du e diligence to prevent the commission of such
offence.
Cognizance of offences
8. No court shall take cognizance of any offence under section 7 unless any forest
dwelling Scheduled Tribe in case of a di spute relating to a resolution of a Gram Sabha or
the Gram Sabha through a resolution against any higher authority gives a notice of not
less than sixty days to the State Level Monitoring Committee and the State Level
Monitoring Committee has not proceeded against such authority.
CHAPTER VI
MISCELLANEOUS
Members of authorities, etc., to be public servants
9. Every member of the authorities referred to in Chapter IV and every other officer
exercising any of the powers conferred by or under this Act shall be deemed to be a
public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
Protection of action taken in good faith
10. (1) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any officer or
other employee of the Central Governm ent or the State Government for anything which is in
good faith done or intended to be done by or under this Act.
10
(2) Not suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Central Government or the
State Government or any of its officers or other employees for any damage caused or likely to
be caused by anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act.
(3) No suit or other legal proceeding shall lie against any authority as referred to in
Chapter IV including its Chairperson, Member, member secretary, officers and other
employees for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act.
Nodal agency
11. The Ministry of the Central Government dealing with Tribal Affairs or any
officer or authority authori zed by the Central Government in this behalf shall be the nodal
agency for the implementation of the provisions of this Act.
Power of Central Government to issue directions.
12. In the performance of tis duties and exercise of tis powers by or under this A ct,
every authority referred to in Chapter IV shall be subject to such general or special directions,
as the Central Government may, from time to time, give in writing.
Act not in derogation of any other law
40 of 1996
13. Save as otherwise provided in th is Act and the Provisions of the Panchayats
(Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, the provisions of his Act shall be in addition to
and not in derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force.
Power to make rules
14. (1) The Central Government may, by notifications, and subject to the condition of
previous publication, make rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers, such
rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely;-
(a) procedural details for implementation of the procedure specified in section 6;
(b) the procedure for receiving claims, consolidating and verifying them and preparing a
map delineating the area of each re commended claim for exercise of forest rights
under sub-section (1) of section 6 and the manner of preferring a petition to the Sub -
Divisional Committee and sub-section (2) of that section;
(c) the level of officer of the department of Revenue, Forest and Tri bal Affairs of the
State Government to be appointed as members of the Sub -Divisional Level
Committee, the District Level Committee and the State Level Monitoring Committee
under sub-section (8) of section 6;
(d) The composition and functions of the Sub -Divisional Level Committee, the District
Level Committee and the State Level Monitoring Committee and the procedure to be
followed by them in the discharge of their functions under sub -section (9) of section
6;
(e) any other matter which is required to be, or maybe, prescribed.
11
(3) Every rule made by the Central Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon as
may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total
period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session o r in two or more successive
session, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the
successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or
both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only
in such modified form or be or no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such
modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously
done under that rule.
K.N.CHATURVEDI
Secy.to the Govt. of India
12
F.No. 17014/02/2007-PC&V
Government of India
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi-
110001 Dated, the
12thFebruary2007
ORDER
Sub: Constitution of a Technical Support Group for framing Rules under the
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of
Forest Rights) Act, 2006
*****
Consequent on the enactment of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, published in the Gazette
of India, Extraordinary, Part II-Section 1 on January 2, 2007, the Central
Government hereby constitutes a Technical Support Group under the convenorship
of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, for framing Rules under the Scheduled Tribes and
Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 for
carrying out the provisions of the Act. The composition of the Technical Support
Group shall be as under:
Non-official
1. Shri S.R. Sankaran, Chairman
2. Prof. Madhav Gadgil, Member
3. Shri Raman Sukumar, Member
4. Shri Ram Dayal Munda, Member
5. Prof. K.C. Malhotra, Member
6. Shri Sanjay Upadhyaya, Member
7. Shri Rangan Dutta, Member
8. Prof. Nandini Sundar Member
9. Shri D. Bandopadhyay Member
10. Smt. Smita Gupta Member
11. Shri Kumar Shiralkar Member
Official
12. Director General, ICFRE, Dehradun Member
13. Representative of Ministry of Environment&
Forests (not below the rank of Joint Secretary) Member
14. Representative of Department of Land
Resources (not below the rank of Joint Secretary) Member
15. Representative of Ministry of Law &
Justice (Legislative Department) (not
below the rank
of Joint Secretary) Member
16. Representative of Ministry of Panchayati
Raj (not below the rank of Joint Secretary) Member
17. Shri Serjius Minz, Principal Secretary, Forest,
Government of Chhattisgarh Member
18. Shri S.C. Negi, Secretary, Tribal Development,
Government of Himachal Pradesh Member
13
-2-
19. Commissioner &Secretary, Welfare of Plain
Tribes and Backward Classes, Government
Asom, Guwahati Member
20. Commissioner & Secretary, Hill Areas
Department, Government of Asom, Dispur,
Guwahati Member
21. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs Member-Convenor
2. The Technical Support Group shall prepare the draft Rules for carrying out
the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 within a period of 3 months from the date
of constitution of the Group and submit the same to the Government.
3. The Technical Support Group shall meet and work out its action plan for
drafting the proposed Rules. For this purpose, the Technical Support Group may
hold consultations with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations
individually to take care of State specific differences. The Technical Support Group
may also hold regional conferences with experts to finalise the draft rules.
4. For the purposes of TA/DA, then on-official Members of the Technical
Support Group will be treated as equivalent to Grade-I officers of the Central
Government entitled to travel by air.
(Dr. Bachittar Singh)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India
Tele 011-2307 3817
Copy to:
All Official and Non-Official Members of the Technical Support Group.
Copy for information to:
1. Prime Minister's Office (Shri R. Gopalakrishnan, JS to PM), SouthBlock,
NewDelhi;
2. Cabinet Secretariat (ShriVijai Sharma, Additional Secretary), Rashtrapati
Bhavan, New Delhi
3. Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO
Complex, New Delhi
4. Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi
5. Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Reforms),
Krishi Bhavan, NewDelhi
6. Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice (Legislative Department), Shastri Bhavan,
New Delhi
7. Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, Raipur
8. Chief Secretary, Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla
9. Chief Secretary, Government of Asom, Dispur, Guwahati.
(Dr. Bachittar Singh)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India