Indian forests have experienced a lot of changes in its management throughout the history. Traditional and customary rights of the forest dwelling people were denied over the forest resources at colonial period. Several forest policies have been announced in colonial India that only protected the financial interest of the colonialists. Stringent acts were enforced to restrict forest dwellers from extracting forest products for their livelihood. Post Colonial India experienced even more stringent acts and laws are being enforced in order to protect country’s forest resources. Mass eviction of forest dwellers started without any rehabilitation and compensation. Last two decades of twentieth century have shown first sign of changing mind set of Indian polity upon the forest management. Contributions of aboriginal people regarding protection, maintenance and regeneration of forests have been recognized. But the Forest Rights Act of 2006 presented a paradigm shift in Indian forest management. It has several provisions that can empower forest dwellers and put an end to the century old injustice incurred upon them by the hegemonic society. Present paper appreciates the forest policies and acts taken by the Indian Government in colonial and post colonial period and emphasizes on some of the provisions of FRA – 2006 along with a SWOT analysis of the same.
