JFM projects generate 8 cr labour days

New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) The National afforestation plan has helped institutionalize Joint Forest Management in more than 24,000 forest fringe villages during the 10th Plan.

The 729 projects approved under the programme generated about 8 crore labour days, Minister of State for Environment and Forests S Regupathy said addressing the 11th meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests here today.

There are one lakh village level Forest Management Committees (FMC) involved in regeneration of 22 million hectares forests which is almost 29 per cent of the country's total forest area.

The Joint Forest Management Committee(JFMC) has not only emerged as one of the most important programmes in the country, but also a role model for forest regeneration in many parts of the world, the Minister said, adding that though JFM mainly lay within the domain of the States and Union Territories, the Centre continuously provided catalytic assistance through policy and funding support.

JFMCs were entering into Memorandum of Understanding with their states and ensuring gender and social equity in this whole process.

A presentation was made on Joint Forest Management before the Members of the Consultative Committee.

They were told that a big support of fund for this programme had come from National Afforestation Programme of the Ministry. There was a system of unique fund flow mechanism under which funds are directly available to the JFMCs through Forest Development Agency(FDA) from the Centre.

At the Divisional level, FDA is a federation of all JFMCs under Societies Registration Act under which the village level institution is represented by JFMC. At present there are 729 FDAs covering 24215 JFMCs managing an area of 9.2 lakh hectare.

These committees also have power to work outside forest area.

With the earnings they get from forest produce and other activities along with the funds from Centre, they indulge in essential requirements like construction of school, hospital, panchayat ghars, community centers, tube-well etc.

They have started Self Help Groups which help in micro finance.

JFMC members take activities like seri-culture, cocoon gathering from forest for tusser silk, basket weaving, tendu leaves plates.

NIFT- Calcutta and Ahmedabad helped some JFMCs to learn weaving.

The Members of the Consultative Committee appreciated the success of the JFM activities. They suggested for having linkage with other Ministries like Textile, Rural Development, Village Industry, Tribal Affairs etc. which have funds for villages and tribal areas.

Mr Namo Narayan Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests told the meeting that Rs. 1200 crore fund had been made available against requirement of Rs. 8000 crore for this programme.

Under the 10th Five Year Plan 1.7 lakh forests fringe villages will be brought under JFM to provide livelihood, security and employment generation.

Under 11th Plan 33 per cent of area will be brought under forest cover against 24 per cent area as of now.

UNI