Which of the following statements about the Common Property Resources in India are correct?

(A) They provide fodder for the livestock and fuel for the households.
(B) All member of the society have the right to access them.
(C) Community forest and pasture lands are excluded from them
(D) They are owned by the State

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A), (B), (D) Only

(C) Community forest and pasture lands are excluded from them: This is incorrect.

Land, according to its ownership can broadly be classified under two broad heads – private land and common property resources (CPRs). While the former is owned by an individual or a group of individuals, the latter is owned by the state (C) meant for the use of the community. CPRs provide fodder for the livestock and fuel for the households (A) along with other minor forest products like fruits, nuts, fibre, medicinal plants, etc. In rural areas, such land is of particular relevance for the livelihood of the landless and marginal farmers and other weaker sections since many of them depend on income from their livestock due to the fact that they have limited access to land. CPRs also are important for women as most of the fodder and fuel collection is done by them in rural areas. They have to devote long hours in collecting fuel and fodder from a degraded area of CPR.

CPRs can be defined as community’s natural resource, where every member has the right of access and usage with specified obligations (B), without anybody having property rights over them. Community forests, pasture lands, village water bodies and other public spaces where a group larger than a household or family unit exercises rights of use and carries responsibility of management are examples of CPRs.