Role of Panchayati Raj Institution and Tribal Rights in Forest Resources Management: A Study of Mayurbhanj District of Odisha

Most tribal people have been living in forest areas but do not officially permit rights to their homes, lands and livelihoods. India is the land of tribes, constituting 8.6% of its population. Tribes have been closely related to the forest, and their life and livelihood depend on the availability of forest resources in India. Forest ecosystems are crucial for biodiversity, watershed protection and the livelihood of indigenous communities. In Odisha, the forest has become and is considered a potential natural resource. Forests have been interdependent and interrelated for the tribal people in Odisha for generations. According to the well-being of the tribal people, they have depended on their habits, culture and style of life in the forests through separable entities like forest and tribal culture. Everything in the forest has been fulfilled, including social, economic, cultural, religious and medicinal needs, which the forest dwellers require. Aside from the aspects mentioned above, the study investigates the role of Panchayati Raj institutions in managing forest resources for the benefit of tribal people. It focuses on the tribe members’ level of awareness following the passage of the Panchayat Extension to the Scheduled Area Act.