|
(a)
Function, role and responsibilities of the Department
The mandate of the Forest Department is to manage the Forest, Forest
produces and Wildlife of the State of Assam. The relevant
constitutional framework at the backdrop of management of forest
resources are briefly enumerated as follows :
The Constitution of India
Article 48 A one of the Directive Principles, which state that the
State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to
safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country.
Article 51 A deals with the fundamental duties of citizens, which
includes the citizen’s duty to value and preserve the rich heritage
of our composite culture and to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to
have compassion for living creatures.
Article 246 points towards the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution,
which enlists (in the union list, and the concurrent list) the
subjects that the Central and State Governments are to legislate
upon. Forest is one of the subjects placed in the Concurrent List on
which both the Central and State Governments shall legislate upon.
The Assam Forest Policy, 2004 has been adopted in the State of Assam
in the line of National Forest Policy, 1988.
(b) Acts and Rules administered by the Department
The Central Acts and Rules as well as the State Acts and Rules
administered by the Department is shown in the List of Acts and
Rules implemented by Forest Department.
2. Description of the Organizational Structure of the Forest
Department, Assam is shown in the Organizational Setup.
3. Activities of the Department :
Description of the main Plans/ Programmes/ Missions/ Work
implemented by the Department.
(a) Brief description of the schemes indicating the main objectives,
components and beneficiaries:
Forestry is a vital sector of the State. It is a very important
component of social sector in terms of goods and services it
delivers.
The forest cover in Assam as per the latest assessment by Forest
Survey of India (F.S.I.) Report, 2003 is 34.45%/ 24.58 % (with
forest & tree cover of 36.67 %) of the Geographical area both within
and outside the notified forest area. The forest cover is probably
more than what the nations aspires to achieve by the end of XIth
Plan. The concept of extension forestry initiated in the early
eighties under State Plan has percolated down well in terms of
extent of forest cover outside the notified area.
However the scenario within the notified area depicts a rather
gloomy state in terms of degradation during the last 20 years due to
various biotic factors. As a result, considerable rich biodiversity
has been lost which has to be re-created again.
The thrust areas identified by the Department is as below :
Conservation of areas having rich biodiversity.
Arresting the trend of degradation and reverting the process by
afforestation & reforestation through various stake holders.
Conservation and development of Protected Area Network.
Up-gradation of Research and Development activities.
In order to make a forceful impact in areas identified as stated
above, it is essential to have regular funding from all possible
sources.
(b) Implementation mechanism :
There seems apparent resource crisis before the Govt. to meet the
investment needs under forestry sector. The forestry activities
being the one essential for assuring continuity of various life
supporting nature functions, the resource mobilization for
investment under forestry sector is essential keeping the high
investment need under forestry sector and continuing resource crisis
in mind.
(c) Allocations, expenditure, target and achievements (Physical &
Financial) etc. are shown under concerned Wings of the Department.
4. Plan and Non-Plan budget of the Department :
Plan for 2006-07 allocation was Rs. 3028.28 lakhs and allocation for
2007-08 is Rs. 2660.00 lakhs. On the other hand Non-Plan for 2006-07
allocation was Rs. 12350.36 lakhs and for 2007-08 Non-Plan
allocation is Rs. 11722.67 lakhs.
5. New initiatives and innovative steps undertaken by the Department
to improve its functioning is by increasing the use of information
technology or through any other reforms measures :
i. A Project in this regard submitted to Govt. of India for 11th
Five year Plan from 2007-08 to 2011-12 under the C.S. Scheme
“Integrated Forest Protection” which is expected to be carried along
from special fund for North East. This resource is expected to tide
over the difficulties faced so far largely to meet the
infrastructure in forests.
ii. Creation of additional force and fund there of may be agreed by
the Govt. of India for funding but the maintenance thereof shall be
the burden of the State Govt. In this direction, there has to be
some reasonable additional fund flow in the State Plan.
iii. Resource flow will be ensured from the C.S. Scheme, the North
Eastern Council Sponsored Scheme, if approved by the E.A.P. which is
under close scrutiny by the World Bank.
iv. To expand forest cover of the state through private plantation
by motivating people through PPP, awareness programmes, distribution
of seedlings to the people from forest nurseries. The strategy in
this regard will be to associate various communities, groups,
associations, N.G.Os /FDAs in such activities of the department even
by providing them with some grants.
v. The “Chief Minister’s Seuji Dhora Achoni” (a Green Earth
Programme) was launched on Ist September, 2006 for awareness drive
amongst the School Children from Classes V to X for a Clean & Green
Environment and 15 lakhs seedlings have been distributed so far.
vi. In all the District & Sub-Divisional H.Q.s the ‘Neem Nagari
Achoni’ is being implemented.
vii. Under 20 Point Programme 60 lakhs seedlings have been
distributed to the public and 12,807 ha. area have been planted
during the year including raising of elephant fodder species.
viii. Socio-economic up-liftment measures have been taken up in 475
nos. of Forest Villages and the Forest Department has been able to
generate 30 lakhs Mandays during the year.
ix. Under Village Energy Security Program (V.E.S.P.), 14 forest
fringe villages in 8 districts have been electrified through Forest
Development Agencies (F.D.As.) along with 86 ha. of fuelwood, 40 ha.
of Jatropha plantations have been raised and also 668 nos. of
improved Chullahs and 43 nos. of Bio-gas Plants have been
established.
x. 5th Elephant Festival from 5th to 7th January, 2007 at Kaziranga
National Park was celebrated to create Mass Awareness for protection
and conservation of Wildlife in the State.
Under the National Bamboo Mission, plantation of 2880 ha. in Forest
Area and 1000 ha. in Non- Forest Land with 16.00 lakhs of Bamboo
Seedlings(QPM) to be raised in nurseries by villagers, S.H.G, Women
Groups and Forest Department under the Management of Gregarious
Flowering of Bamboo Scheme, 1800 ha. of Plantation is being created
by utilizing 7.5 lakhs seedling raised in Nurseries.
The support of National Medicinal Plant Board for 100 ha. of
Plantation and raising of 1.00 lakh of medicinal tree is being taken
up.
The Department has proposed to plant 25.00 lakhs seedling under Agar
Plantation & 25.00 lakhs seedlings under Neem Plantation in Urban
Areas. In addition to this, Plantation Trial of 1.00 lakh Chandan
Seedlings will be taken up during 2007-08.
Improved monitoring, information and evaluation system would
strengthen the ability of the Department in mapping and information
management function to support rural development with forest fringe
communities and micro-planning. Key activities envisaged are
improving GIS, FMIS, M & E, capacity for micro-planning and program
management by strengthening Department’s GIS, MIS including
integration in remote sensing technology. Information management
system in the Department would also be strengthen by supporting
development of consolidated database from project supported
monitoring and evaluation, micro-planning forest inventory data,
forest management, research and development.
|
