Social Forestry Wing of this department has also achieved remarkable success towards improvement
of environment and elevation of socio-economic condition of the rural
mass. Most of the unutilized Govt. waste land, VGRS & PGRS have been identified
and brought under Social Forestry Plantation with the objective to provide
fuel wood, fodder, fruits, small timber for construction of huts and agricultural
implements to the rural people. Social Forestry wing of this state
has also given full importance to support the traditional cottage industry.
For example, to support the "Eari & Muga" Silk industry in the rural areas
Som plantations have been taken up extensively. The uptodate plantation
raised under Social Forestry Schemes is approximately one lakh hectors.
Under Extension Forestry, road side parks and recreation centres have
been created to improve the quality of life of the people. Uptil now 32
such Recreation Parks have been created.
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Achievement of various Schemes under Social Forestry Wing during
2007-08
An area
of 67.45 Hect with 2,29,33,000 (two crore twenty nine lakh thirty
three thousand) nos. of seedlings were raised with State Govt. fund
for Rs. 183.04 lakh under SFG, TSP & SCCP schemes & maintenance was
done for covering an area of 2133 hect. 20 lakh Agar and 10 lakh
Maha Neem seedlings are being raised in the nurseries in Assam.
With the
Central Govt. fund under NAP scheme for Rs 2366.35 lakh, an area of
19666 hect. plantation was done through 550nos of JFMCs under 28 nos
of FDAs in Assam which includes Artificial Regeneration, Natural
Regeneration, Bamboo plantation and Medicinal & Aromatic plantation
.
Objectives
1.
Short-term Objectives
-
Regeneration and eco-development of degraded forest and
adjoining areas on a watershed basis.
-
Augmentation of the availability of fuel wood, fodder and
grasses from the regenerated areas.
-
Securing people’s participation in planning and regeneration
efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of
forest products from the regenerated lands, and to promote the
partnership concept in the management and administration of
forests sand common property resources.
-
Promote agro-forestry and development of Common property
Resources.
-
Promotion of fuel saving devices to encourage efficient use of
fuel wood and to reduce the drudgery of rural women involved in
collection of 3wood,as also to improve the environment.
-
Conservation and improvement of non-timber forest produce such
as bamboo, cane and medicinal plants.
-
Encourage production of non-timber products such as wax, honey,
fruits and nuts from the regenerated areas.
-
Raising coastal shelterbelts to mitigate the adverse impacts of
cyclonic winds.
-
Develop water resources through plantation and water harvesting
programmer.
-
Development and extension of improved technologies such as
clonal propagation .and use of root trainers for raising
seedlings, mycorrhizal inoculation, etc.
-
Rehabilitation of special problem lands like saline/alkaline
soils, ravines, desert areas, coastal areas, mined areas
,Himalayas, Aravallis and western Ghats.
-
Employment generation for the disadvantaged sections of the
society, particularly women. Scheduled castes/scheduled tribes
and landless rural labourers, inhabiting the forests and
adjoining areas.
2. Long
– term objectives
-
Protection, Conservation of natural resources through active
involvement of the people.
-
Checking land degradation, deforestation and loss of
biodiversity.
-
Ecological restoration and environmental conservation and
eco-development.
-
Evolving village level people’s organization which can manage
the natural resources in and around villages in a sustainable
manner.
-
Fulfillment of the broader objectives of productivity equity,
and sustainability for the general good of the people.
-
Improve quality of life and self-sustenance aspect of people
living in and around forest areas.
-
Capability endowment and skill enhancement for improving
employability of the rural people.
3. JFMC
Benefit Sharing
As per
prevailing rules of JFMC , initial profit 50% will go to the
beneficiaries of the JFMCs and final profit accumulated in final
harvesting of 50% will be shared to the beneficiaries under the JFMC
concerned.
Improvement & development 475 Tribal villages in Assam through FDAs
were achieved with the fund received for Rs.5510.42 lakh from the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India.
The
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Govt. of India, with an amount
of Rs 171.66 lakh , the following activities were achieved.
i)
Fuel wood plantation – 80 Hect.
ii)
Jatropha plantation – 40 Hect.
iii)
Distribution of improved chullah – 668 nos.
iv)
Bio-gas plant set up – 43 nos.
Under
the National Mission on Bio Fuel of Ministry of Rural Development.
Govt. of India sanctioned Rs. 1.5 crore for raising 50 lakh Jatropha
seedlings nursery through 17 nos of FDAs in Assam were also
achieved.
A
High Tech Nursery was established in the State H.Q. with an
amount of Rs. 10.00 Lakh and an area of 405 Hect. plantation was
done through 9(nine) nos. NGOs with Rs. 33.14 lakh under the
“Greening India Scheme” of Ministry of Environment & Forests,
Government of India.
PROPOSED SCHEMES
1.
The Govt. of Assam, under Medicinal & Aromatic plant garden
scheme sanctioned an amount of Rs. 1.00crore for taking up the
scheme in 6(six) districts of Assam covering an area of 25 Hect.
in Assam.
2.
CULTIVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANT AND CULTIVATION OF CASHEWNUT
SCHEME
This
scheme for cultivation of Medicinal plant is proposed for 1430
hect. Areas at a total cost of Rs. 398,97,000 for three years
period. Similarly scheme for cultivation of cashew nut is
proposed for an area of 350 hect. A total cost of Rs. 447,97,700
for ten year period. This scheme is submitted to the Director
Horticulture Guwahati. This scheme will be implemented through
JFMC in Assam. The Director Horticulture has issued instruction
to District Agriculture officers.
3.
BIO-GAS PLANT
A
proposal has been taken up for installation of Bio gas plant in
550 nos of JFMCs through the fund to be sanctioned by Ministry
of Non Conventional Energy Sources at the rate of Rs. 13,000.00
per plant . A subsidized rate would be fixed for the
beneficiaries at the rate of Rs. 9,000.00 per plant.
4.
HONEY BEE
Setting up of Honey Bee plant through the State is proposed to
be implemented through 550 JFMCs at the rate of Rs. 16,000.00
per plant . A subsidized rate would be fixed for the
beneficiaries at the rate of Rs. 800.00 per plant. The matter is
take-up with the Director, Horticulture, Assam for sanctioning
the required fund for implementation of the Scheme.
5.
L.P.G.
A
proposal has been taken up for distribution of LPG connection
with gas chullah in 550 nos of JFMCs. The matter is taken up
with the Manager (Marketing), I.O.C., Guwahati for taking
necessary steps.
AWARENESS PROGRAMME
a. Awareness programme is taken up through distribution of
seedlings by distributing 81,50,000 nos of seedlings for the
year 2007-08 in the State of Assam.
b. There are some important aspects in the Basistha Forest
enclave for the school children which may lead them
interested to forestry & wildlife viz.
i. High Tech nursery, Bamboo nursery, general nursery,
Orchid house, natural forest vegetation etc.
ii. Botanical garden
iii. Gasifire plant
iv. Pigmey Hog.
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