Baiga Tribe Becomes the 2nd Tribe to Get Habitat Rights in Chhattisgarh

Current Context: The Baiga tribe in Chhattisgarh, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), has been awarded Habitat Forest Rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.This makes them the second PVTG in the state to receive these rights.

• The rights have been granted to 19 Baiga villages in the Gaurela block of the Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district.
• The Baiga tribe primarily resides in Rajnandgaon, Kawardha, Mungeli, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM), Manendra-Bharatpur-Chirmiri, and Bilaspur districts of Chhattisgarh.
• The community also lives in the adjacent districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• Habitat rights recognition provides the community concerned rights over their customary territory of habitation, socio-cultural practices, economic and livelihood means, intellectual knowledge of biodiversity and ecology, traditional knowledge of use of natural resources, as well as protection and conservation of their natural and cultural heritage.

Question:

Q.1 Which tribe in Chhattisgarh was recently awarded Habitat Forest Rights?
a. Gond Tribe
b. Baiga Tribe
c. Bhil Tribe
d. Santhal Tribe