IIM Researchers' Study Reveals Complexities in India's Forest and Mineral Policy

The study focuses on India's Go-No-Go policy, initially designed to delineate which forests should be conserved and which could potentially be used for expedited mining clearances. This policy addresses the complex intersection of mining activities, environmental preservation, and the rights and development of tribal communities, given that India's mineral wealth lies predominantly beneath its dense, biodiversity-rich forests.

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow researcher, Professor Priyanshu Gupta, Assistant Professor of Business Sustainability, collaborated with Professor Rajesh Bhattacharya from IIM Calcutta's Public Policy and Management Group to publish a significant study in the journal Land Use Policy. Their research delves deep into the challenges and conflicts inherent in managing India's forests and mineral resources.

Analyzing India's Go-No-Go Policy

The study focuses on India's Go-No-Go policy, initially designed to delineate which forests should be conserved and which could potentially be used for expedited mining clearances. This policy addresses the complex intersection of mining activities, environmental preservation, and the rights and development of tribal communities, given that India's mineral wealth lies predominantly beneath its dense, biodiversity-rich forests.

Evolution and Challenges of the Policy

Introduced in 2009 and later renamed the Inviolate Areas policy, its primary goal was to identify ecologically significant forests for conservation while streamlining clearance processes in less critical areas. The research team scrutinized the policy's evolution and the obstacles it has encountered over the years.

Methodology and Insights

Utilizing extensive data from government documents obtained through India’s Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI), supplemented by interviews with senior bureaucrats, policymakers, and experts, the study offers a comprehensive analysis of the policy's development and implementation challenges.

Insights from Professor Priyanshu Gupta

Professor Priyanshu Gupta highlighted the fragmented nature of forest resource rights across stakeholders, including government oversight of mineral development, conservation mandates of the environment ministry, and local community rights to forest produce. He emphasized that these fragmented interests often lead to conflicts and delays in policy implementation.

Political Dimensions of Public Policy

The research challenges the notion that removing politics from policy decisions would resolve conflicts, arguing instead that public policy inherently involves political dimensions and requires input from all stakeholders. The study advocates for comprehensive stakeholder consultations and integration of political contexts to achieve sustainable and equitable outcomes.

The study underscores the complexities involved in balancing competing interests in forest and mineral governance. It emphasizes the necessity of democratic consultation and inclusive decision-making processes to achieve policies that are both environmentally sustainable and socially equitable.

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