Bhopal, Mar 2: A scheme is being launched in the forest areas of Madhya Pradesh to provide alternative sources of livelihood to forest dwellers with a view to decreasing their dependence on forests. Forest Department has allocated funds for this scheme being launched on the instructions by Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah.

Forest Minister Kunwar Shah has also issued instructions for coordinating the scheme with other departments' programmes with a view to mobilise added funds. Chief Conservator of Forests (Livelihood) has been appointed nodal officer for this work who would provide livelihood sources to villagers with their consent after requisitioning proposals from range officers.

Budget provision would be made for various types of livelihood resources. State government would provide funds for building and machinery while Joint Forest Management Committee would make the funds available for other works. In the first phase of this programme such villagers would be identified whose main source of livelihood is collecting wood and selling it or eking out an income by illegal felling and cutting of trees. Sources of livelihood would be provided to such persons on a priority basis so that they assist in augmentation of forests.

Implementation of this scheme would result in conservation of forests apart from provision of alternative and good sources of livelihood to residents of distant villages.

Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has urged all the forest dwellers to take benefit of this scheme.

Empowered panel to resolve forest-land dispute

By Our Staff Reporter

Bhopal, Mar 2: Madhya Pradesh Industries Minister Jayant Malaiya informed the state Assembly that the matter related to industries being set up in reserved land of Forest department would be resolved by an empowered committee of the Supreme Court as per rules.

Raising the matter during Question Hour, Sajjan Singh Verma (Cong) said Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi had written a letter to the Raisen Collector in January regarding dispute on forest land in Mandideep industrial area. He said it was not clear to whom the land in question belonged.

Malaiya said the Forest department had claimed that some portion of 2,000 hectare land in Mandideep industrial area belonged to it. A joint survey was carried out by the Forest and Revenue departments in this regard in 2002. The survey revealed that 529.10 hectare land comes under preserved area and 40.20 under reserved area of the department. In this view, notices has been issued to 14 industries put up on the reserved area.

Maliaya said necessary information has been sought from the Raisen Collector and discussions had been held with the Forest department. Under such circumstances, the matter is presented before the empowered committee of the Supreme Court.