Draft Forest Policy

Aim: The policy is aimed at facilitating ecologically responsible behaviour among stakeholders.

Major recommendations:
  • The policy proposes levy of a green tax and calls for safeguarding forest land by exercising strict restraint on diversion for non-forestry purposes like mining and industrial projects and practising responsible eco-tourism in forest areas to ensure safety of wildlife.
  • It aims to bring a minimum one-third of India’s total geographical area under forest or tree cover through scientific interventions and enforcing strict rules to protect the dense cover.
  • The new policy will replace the existing one that has been guiding the government to manage forests since 1988.
  • Policy recommends that the budget of the forestry sector should be appropriately enhanced so that the objectives enshrined in this policy can be achieved. The policy will guide the forest management of the country for the next 25-30 years.
  • The policy also proposes to levy environmental cess, green tax, carbon tax etc. on certain products and services.
  • Forest land diversion projects related to mining, quarrying, construction of dams, roads and other linear infrastructure needs to adopt special caution. Use of state-of-the-art technology which causes minimum pollution and damage should be promoted.
  • The draft policy also called for developing “sound eco-tourism models” with the focus on conservation while supplementing the livelihood needs of local communities. “
  • The policy envisages that a national implementation framework be put in place within six months of the notification, to deliver on the commitments. It also urged states to formulate their forest policies and prepare an implementation framework.
  • The policy also emphasised on large-scale expansion of agro-forestry and farm forestry through incentives and operational support systems such as lowering input costs and enabling access to reasonably priced quality planting material.

 

 

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