Resource detail

Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country. The forests in the state are very important because of the abundance of bio-diversity and for being the catchment area of many important rivers. The contribution of the state in the production of wood and non-wood forest products in the country is the largest. As a result of increasing population and the need for development, efforts are being made to reduce the difference between the increasing demand of wood and non-wood forest products and its supply as well as reduce the pressure on government forests. It is absolutely necessary that sufficient knowledge, skill and resources are made available to them so as to enable them to execute these tasks and face the challenges. In view of this, new direction shall have to be given to the efforts for human resource development. With a view to benefit from the latest techniques, it is necessary to adopt information technology in the forest management. By adopting this policy, apart from environmental protection, ecological balance and groundwater conservation needs of forest dependent communities will be fulfilled and productivity of forests will be enhanced. This would lead to the development of forest resources and also the socio-economic development of these communities will be ensured by providing them employment.

The policy lays special emphasis on the need to check forest encroachments and to curb forest-related crimes. As per the new policy the revenue being generated from the felling of timber will be used for meeting the hopes and expectations of the forest dwellers. The policy focuses on the need to go for optimum exploitation of forest resources, the new policy spells out guidelines to improve the degraded forests through intense afforestation. Tree plantation would be encouraged on barren and fallow private land by rationalizing the forest rules, the Policy adds. To improve the environment, the state Government even proposes to plant trees along highways and railway tracks. The forest policy also spells out the need to ensure a proper security mechanism for forests. The policy underlines the need to curb grazing on forest land and goes on to emphasize that non-forest activities would not be allowed on forest land.

The basic objectives of the State Forest Policy are to: (1) Expand forest tree-covered area to make it one-third of the geographical area. (2) Ensure stability of the environment and ecological balance by developing government forests and private areas under forest cover through sustainable management of forests. (3) Strengthen beneficial components, forces and systems for the protection and management of forests. (4) Optimize the use of timber, fuelwood, bamboo, fodder and minor forest produce, to maximise their production and creating atmosphere for regular availability of forest-based alternative employment to forest dependent families. (5) Earmark 10% of the forest area under intensive management for production of timber in order to reduce the gap between its demand and supply. (6) Increase the production of non-timber forest produce, especially herbal medicines, and making economic conditions of the forest-dependent communities better by ensuring their sustainable exploitation, value addition and marketing. (7) Promote extension forestry without adversely affecting the agricultural production, promoting plantation of bamboo in the rural areas and thus making it the means of income for the villagers and ensuring better management of revenue and private areas covered with forests by implementing Lok Vaniki. (8)Build essential legal environment and to provide facilities to enable the forest-based industries to produce their own raw materials. (9) Give priority to the social needs and aspirations of the local communities in the use of products obtained from sustainable exploitation of the forests not considering them a source of income only. (10) Make efforts for sustainable development of weaker sections of the society, especially forest dependent tribal communities and women in view of the environmental, economic, social and cultural linkages of these communities with forests. (11) Reduce losses caused to the forests due to uncontrolled grazing and collection of head load fuel wood. (12) Promote alternative sources of energy in order to reduce pressure on government forests. (13) Strengthen the management of protected areas to conserve bio-diversity, strengthening cohesion between the wild life management and the requirements of those living in forests and taking steps to conserve bio-diversity outside the protected areas also. (14) Develop Eco-tourism and Herbal-Health Tourism in forest areas for the benefit of forest dependent communities and conservation of natural resources. (15) Direct forest research and extension in accordance with the prevailing conditions and future requirements. (16) Providr traditional and modern techniques and skills as well as healthy work atmosphere to forest officials and members of the forest committees in order to encourage them to work with full capacity and zeal. (17) Attract private investment for the afforestation work on a large scale in the forestry sector.