Top Indian foresters appreciate forest management in Tripura

Top forest officials from across the country today applauded the participatory forest management approaches through Joint Forest Management (JFM) in Tripura and suggested setting up JFM linkage with development of eco-tourism.

During valedictory session of a five-day refresher training of the senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials on 'Linkage Participatory Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation with Poverty Alleviation' here, the officers uttered satisfaction over Tripura's performance and wished to replicate the model of community forest management steps in states like Gujarat, Haryana and Maharashtra.

Addressing the session, Forest Minister Jitendra Choudhury said Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoEF) had given the task to Tripura Forest Development Corporation (TFDPC), one of the successful government undertakings of the country, to explore the major snapshots of forest management.

''Tripura achieved a lot in JFM management and poverty alleviation programme, which has emerged as a model in biodiversity conservation and value addition of forest resources in the country,'' Mr Choudhury said.

He pointed out that in 2005-06 TFDPC announced a new profit-sharing incentive among the workers. Earlier, workers were expected to collect raw latex from 300 rubber trees per day and those targets were never met because there were no incentives. But at present workers were getting wages and incentives at the end of the working day.

''The net profit for 2005-06 is expected to exceed the target. TFDPC has paid Rs 35 lakh to workers as part of the profit sharing-policy till November 2005, and the amount payable was double by the end of 2007. The state government has stopped funds to TFDPC following the growing profit trend,'' Mr Choudhury said and added that it paid regular dividend to the state government.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) R P Tangwan stated that altogether 34 different level IFS officers from 17 states were sent by MoEF to enhance the knowledge and exchange of experience in implementation of JFM and other economic activities for the people in a better way.

''During the course we facilitated them to see JFM activities, value addition of bamboo and community initiatives of bio-diversity conservation along with poverty alleviation initiatives of state forest department,'' Mr Tangwan said and added that it would help enhancement of the nationwide bio-diversity conservation projects to a large extent.

-- (UNI) -- 19CA11.xml

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