(1)

The Gram Sabha shall—

(a) initiate the process of determining the nature and extent of forest rights, receive and hear the claims relating thereto;

(b) prepare a list of claimants of forests rights and maintain a register containing such details of claimants and their claims as the Central Government may by order determine;

(c) pass a resolution on claims on forest rights after giving reasonable opportunity to interested persons and authorities concerned and forward the same to the Sub—Divisional Level Committee;

(d) consider resettlement packages under clause (e) of sub-section (2) of section 4 of the Act and pass appropriate resolutions; and

(e) constitute Committees for the protection of wildlife, forest and bio-diversity, from amongst its members, in order to carry out the provisions of section 5 of the Act.

(2)

The quorum of the Gram Sabha meeting shall be not less than two-thirds of all members of such Gram Sabha:

Provided that where there is a heterogeneous population of Scheduled Tribes and non-Scheduled Tribes in any village, the members of the Scheduled Tribe, Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) and pre-agricultural communities shall be adequately represented.

(3)

The Gram Sabha shall be provided with the necessary assistance by the authorities in the State.