Public Interface

Nistar :

Nistar entitles the residents of villages bordering forest area, within a periphery of 5 km, to get forest produce like fuelwood, poles, bamboo at concessional rate depending on the availability.This is an old arrangement and matches with the spirit of National Forest Policy,1988 which states that the first charge on forest would be to meet the requirements of the communities residing in and around forest areas.

1. Fifteen lakh families are getting the advantage of nistar.
2. Around 1.7 lakh fuelstack, 4.5 lakh poles and 2 crore bamboos made available under Nistar sale during 1999-2000 through a network of 1896 depots.
3. The concessions being extended to the villagers amount to around Rs. 35 crores per annum.
4. To address specific needs of Basod(artisan earning livelihood through bamboo craft), 1,500 bamboos provided at concessional rate annually depending on availability.

Usufruct sharing :
With the advent of Joint Forest Management committees of villagers, (Forest Protection Committiee-FPC, Village Forest Committee-VFC & Ecodevelopment Committee-EDC) have been constituted to formulate management plans and execute them taking technical assistance from the Forest Department. In lieu of the services provided, the villagers are entitled to share the usufructs produced in the areas earmarked to respective committies.

• The members of FPC, get 10% and 20% of the net proceeds from the fine harvest of timber and bamboo, respectively.
• The members of VFC, are entitled to 100% proceeds of the intermediary and final harvest.
• The members of EDC, get the same benefits as in the case of FPC.
• There are 11,621 committees, representing around 15 lakh families, engaged in the JFM.

Sustainable employment through multilayered Plantation :
This is a novel scheme. Multilayered plantations with tree, bamboo and medicinal and aromatic plants are undertaken. Under this programme, beneficiaries

• get monthly wage earning of Rs. 1,250 for a period of 2 years for the work done by them
• are entitled to 100% of the proceeds from the medicinal and aromatic plants and 50% of the proceeds from the final harvest of trees.
• Around 1500 beneficiaries are getting the advantage of this scheme

World Food Programme :
Under this programme , food commodities like wheat, rice, pulses, vegetable oils are given to the labourers in lieu of part of their wages at highly subsidised rates. The amount thus recovered is used as welfare fund.

• In lieu of the deduction of Rs.10, a person gets 2 kg of wheat/rice, 200g of pulses, 200g of vegetable oil.
• Welfare funds are used for infrastructure development (stop dam,lift irrigation etc.), socio-economic activity and women centered activities(poultry, rope making, mushroom cultivation etc.)

Compensation for the damages by wildlife:
To mitigate public resentment and hostility, the State Government provides compensation for the loss of human life by tiger, leopard, wolf, bear, elephant, wildpig, gaur and hyena.

• A compensation of Rs. 20,000 is paid to the successor of the deceased person.
• On being injured by wild animals, a compensation upto Rs. 7,500 is paid for treatment.
• In case of loss of domestic animals, compensation upto Rs. 3,500 is paid.

Bonus to Tendu Patta pluckers:
This scheme provides sharing the net proceeds of the sale of Tendu Patta among its pluckers.

• They are entitled to 50% of the net profit accruing from the sale.
• An amount of Rs. 48 crores given as bonus for 1999-2000 season
• 15 lakh families get the advantage of this scheme.

Reward to informers:
To curb forest offences, rewards are given to the informers for furnishing credible information leading to detection of a forest offence. An amount upto a maximum of Rs. 1500 is paid in such cases

Other Benefits

• Forestry activities provide employement to the tune of 300 lakh mondays annually.
• Around 6 lakh persons make their living through sale of headloads.