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as well as the livelihood needs of the forest development communities has been formulated AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTORS
during 2007. The Forest Management Policy of the state encompasses technology improvement,
bio-diversity conservation and development of partnership with the forest dependent communities
and fringe dwellers. Special thrust is also given for protecting species of plants and animals.

National Afforestation Programme

2.126 The National Afforestation programme funded by Ministry of Environment & Forest, GoI that
has facilitated expansion of participatory forest management through forest development agencies,
which are formed by federating VSSs/EDCs. At present there are 36 FDAs in the state. The State
Forest Development Agency has been formed as the apex body of FDAs. At present the funds under
NAP is routed through the state budget. Under these FDAs about 500 joint forest management
committees (JFACs) are involved in the implementation of NAP. Till the end of March 2014, GoI
has released ` 7343.50 lakh and the amount untilised so far is ` 7094 lakh, thereby afforesting an
extend of 36888.97 ha degraded forest. The objectives of the NAP are sustainable development
and management of forest resources, increase or improve forest and tree cover and supplementing
livelihood improvement process. The major interventions undertaken under NAP are assisted natural
and artificial regeneration, restoration of bamboo and cain, pasture development, mixed plantaion
of trees having MFP & medicinal value and regeneration of Verennial herbs and shrubs of medicinal
plants.

Green India Mission

2.127 The Green India Mission aims to address key concerns related to climate change in the Forest
Sector viz; Adaptation, Mitigation, Volunterability and Ecosystem services. To this end the Mission
also aims to take a broader landscape approach to address the drivers of forest degradation while
supporting communities meet their basic necessities of fodder, fuel- wood and livelihood. The general
body and executive committees of the SFDA has discussed the preparation of perspective plan in
its meetings and has proposed the perspective plan to be implemented in the landscapes. 24 FDAs
are coming under these identified landscapes. Micro planning with the active involvement of local
panchayats, NGOs and other development departments including Agriculture, Soil Conservation and
Animal Husbandry have taken place at JFMC and FDA. The objectives of the plan are to address
the environmental issues, improve quality of the forests, conservation of endangered and endemic
species, to improve the tree cover, improve soil and moisture condition, improve livelihood by providing
more employment to the dependent communities, reduce dependency over forests, conserve the
ecosystem, conserve mangroves and sacred groves, combine activities of social forestry and ago-
forestry, increase forest cover in urban and semi-urban areas. The major activities proposed under
Green India Mission include preparation of village level micro plan, capacity building programme of
VSS/EDC, Soil & moisture conservation, Fire protection activities, Rehabilitation of shifting cultivation
areas, restoration of mangroves, Bio-fencing , planting of NTFP species etc.

Forest Revenue

2.128 The forests contribute substantially to the non-tax revenue of the State. The revenue from the
forestry sector by way of sale of timber and other forest products comes to ` 329.95 crore in 2013-
14 and the revenue from the forest sector in 2013-14 was ` 237.33 crore, compared to the forest
revenue,an increase of 39 percent over the previous year. Major portion of the forest revenue is
from timber (Fig. 2.10). During 2013-14 ` 268.29 crore was the revenue from timber, which account
for 81 percent of the total forest revenue. The forest also supply non-wood forest produce valued at
` 5 crore annually. Forestry sector provides maximum employment opportunities to the rural masses
including the tribes. Details are given in Appendix 2.65.

Economic Review 2014