Nashik ‘first district’ in country to hand over digital 7E, 12E extracts to FRA beneficiaries: Collector

The ceremonial distribution took place in the presence of key administrative officials, including Kundan Hirey, the deputy collector.

Written by: Manoj Dattatrye More
3 min readPuneAug 1, 2026 07:41 PM IST
Under the new framework, form 7-E guarantees inheritable, non-transferable primary occupant status over allocated forest land, protecting tribal families from land alienation while granting them full parity in government databases, the collector said. (Express Photo - Representational)Under the new framework, form 7-E guarantees inheritable, non-transferable primary occupant status over allocated forest land, protecting tribal families from land alienation while granting them full parity in government databases, the collector said. (Express Photo - Representational)
Make us preferred source on Google

Nashik on Saturday became what officials described as the “first district” in the country to start empowering beneficiaries under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, by handing over Maharashtra’s newly instituted digital village form 7E (7E extract) and village form 12-E.

On the occasion of Revenue Day, Nashik District Collector Ayush Prasad ushered in the “groundbreaking era” for tribal empowerment by officially handing over the key documents, which will help tribals living in forest areas avail the benefit of various government schemes.

The ceremonial distribution took place in the presence of key administrative officials, including Kundan Hirey, the deputy collector.

“Today we have ushered in a groundbreaking era by formally rolling out a policy reform approved by the Government of Maharashtra to resolve decades of administrative exclusion experienced by forest dwellers… This is the first move by any district in the country,” the district officials said.

“By establishing dedicated, legally recognised Revenue Record of Rights specifically tailored for FRA titleholders, Maharashtra has bridged the gap between forest land tenure and mainstream agricultural governance,” officials said.

“Despite the enactment of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 two decades ago, titleholders faced a systemic administrative hurdle. Their names were recorded only in the secondary ‘Other Rights’ column of standard 7/12 land extracts, while primary ownership remained with the Forest Department. This is because they were not classified as primary land occupants. This affected over two lakh tribal families across the state who were routinely blocked from obtaining digital Farmer IDs, accessing institutional farm credit, or enrolling in central and state welfare networks,” the district collector said.

While states like Odisha and Madhya Pradesh previously pursued land title regularisation for forest dwellers, Maharashtra’s introduction of dedicated revenue modules — Form 7-E as an independent Record of Rights and Form 12-E as a seasonal crop register (Pahani) — integrated directly into the state’s MahaBhulekh ecosystem establishes a national administrative benchmark, officials said.

Story continues below this ad

Speaking to The Indian Express, Prasad said, “The handing over of the documents to forest dwellers today is the first move made by any district in the country. In the 7 X 12 land records, the names of the tribals was recorded under ‘Other rights’ columns. This deprived them of getting benefits of various government schemes. With the possession of forms 7E and 12E, they can get all state and central government benefits.”

Under the new framework, form 7-E guarantees inheritable, non-transferable primary occupant status over allocated forest land, protecting tribal families from land alienation while granting them full parity in government databases, the collector said.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Manoj Dattatrye More
Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Aug 09: Latest News
Advertisement
Live Blog
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments