core sector communique

10 Million Hectare of Land under Forest Cover in Next Ten Years

India will have 10 million hectare of land under forest cover within next ten years. Out of this half will be develop as a dense forest. This aws stated by shri P J Diliokumar, Director General, Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of environment and Forests after giving away Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards here today. Shri Dilipkumar further said, “These Award are given in recognition to those people who work hard for restoration of our green cover in various corners of the country. There are many factors against preserving of forests like fires, grazing, burning of trees, natural calamities, etc. In such circumstances, it requires extreme dedication to increase the green cover. The first benefit of soil and water conservation and afforestation is that the water level comes up and wells and reservoirs are recharged. This results in better agriculture, less migration to cities, children’s education and better life-style. The vicious cycle of environment degradation and poverty changed to virtuous cycle.”

Forest department is the first department who started working in partnership with people and formed Joint Forest Management Committees. Out of 65 million hector of forest area, 20% area is under JFMCs where people at grass root level are working with the government’s machinery Six Awards were given today.

Shri A.T. Mishra, an Indian Forest Officer , DFO Dhalbhum Forest Division, Jamshedpur has been given the Award in Individual including Govrnment Servants category. He was instrumental in undertaking excellent afforestation and eco-restoration works in inaccessible and difficult areas and under challenging circumstances posed by the Left Wing Extremism in Dhalbum Forest Division. Under his leadership, degraded forest areas susceptible to soil and water erosion have been improved through convergence of activities of various schemes. Involving local people, a highly degraded patch of forest land (70 ha) used as a dumping site by industries, was rehabilitated and developed into a Nature Park.

Forestry Extension Wing, Tamilnadu Forest Department, Chennai has been awarded for the category of Institutions.has been selected. It showed excellent commitment in popularizing and mainstreaming tree growing culture amongst the farmers and in transferring improved tree cultivation technology to the farmers. 30 Forestry Extension Centers have been established by the Extension Wing which acted as the nodal points for the farmers. To sustain the plantation drive and encourage agro-forestry, 28 Tree Growers Societies have been formed and registered in 28 districts of the State.

In the third category of Joint Forest management Committee (JFMC), village Forest Protection and Management Committee, Dani Talai, Range, Bansi, District Pratapgarh, Rajasthan won the award. This JFMC has been functional since 1997. They have conserved the local natural resources which helped in sustainable development of the resources as well as the enhancing the livelihoods of the community. More than 500 ha of degraded area have been rehabilitated by planting multipurpose species during the last few years.

In the category of States and Union Territories, three Awards have been declared. Jammu and Kashmir, Mizorram and Chandigarh have been selected for ‘Big State having geographical area of 80,000 Sq. Km. and above’, ‘Small State having geographical area below 80,000 Sq. Km.’ and ‘Union Territories respectively’.

IPVM Award for States/UTs was introduced in the year 2008 in three categories and cash award along with medallion and citation is given in each of following categories. Big State having geographical area of 80,000 Sq. Km. and above are given Rs 8.00 lakh, Small State having geographical area below 80,000 Sq. Km and Union Territoroes ,both are given Rs 5.00 lakh each. IPVM awards for the States/ UTs are considered on the basis of percentage increase in the forest and tree cover to the geographical area of the state on the basis of India State of Forest Report published by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun.

IPVM Awards are given in the field of afforestation and wasteland development and assessed on the basis of criteria like replicability, innovativeness/creativity, setting up of grassroot level organizations, soil and moisture conservation work and other related activities, target groups etc.