Question : NATIONAL FORESTRY ACTION PLAN

(a) whether in order to give a boost to forestry funding, the Government have proposed the creation of banking institution in which various State Forest Corporations (S.F.Cs) could have a holding;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government have also proposed to enhance the investment in forestry sector to implement the National Forestry Action Plan;

(d) if so, the special features of this Plan;

(e) whether the Government propose to ensure its success by making it a peoples movement; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T.R.BAALU)

(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) & (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) & (f) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO.689 BY SHRI JITENDRA PRASADA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (LOK SABHA) REGARDING NATIONAL FORESTRY ACTION PLAN, FIXED FOR REPLY ON 15.05.2000.

(a) & (b): For enhancing the availability of funds for implementation of National Forestry Action Programme, number of options have been examined including setting up of a Forestry Development Bank. No decision has been taken to set up the Forest Development Bank.

(c) It is estimated that Rs.1339 billions would be required over a period of twenty years to implement the National Forestry Action Programme. The annual allocation for forestry sector has been stepped up by the Central Government and the State Governments have been requested to step up their allocation to forestry sector. Shelf of projects have been prepared to secure funding from external agencies.

(d) The National Forestry Action Programme(NFAP) formulated by the Ministry of Environment & Forests is a comprehensive strategic long term plan for the next twenty years to address the issues underlying the major problems of the forestry sector in line with the National Forest Policy, 1988. The objective of the NFAP is to bring one third of the area of the country under forest/tree cover and to arrest de-forestation for achieving sustainable development of forests. The five main components of this Plan are: 1.Protect Existing Forest Resources. 2.Improve Forest Productivity 3.Reduce Total Demand 4.Strengthen Policy and Institutional Framework 5. Expand Forest /Tree Area.

(e) & (f) Yes. Sir. The National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages people`s involvement in development and protection of forests. The mechanism of Joint Forest Management adopted in 1990 is to re-generate and develop degraded forests for environmental needs and to provide fuel wood, fodder, NWFPs and timber to local people living in and around forests. The JFM has been institutionalised by most of the States and the emphasis has been on the formation of village institutions such as, Village Forest Committees. Central Government had issued fresh guidelines on 21-2-2000 to further strengthen the Joint Forest Management.