Bhopal, Mar 19: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the joint forest management committees are doing excellent work for protection and conservation of forests. These committees deserve all praise for their outstanding work in preventing wild fires, illegal felling and excessive grazing in forest areas. Chouhan was addressing at a dividend distribution programme at Samanvaya Bhawan here on Tuesday evening. The Bharatiya Janata Party president Narendra Singh Tomar presided over the function. The Minister for Forests Kunwar Vijay Shah and Minister of State for Forests Narayan Singh Kushwaha were also present.

The Chief Minister announced the doubling of ex-gratia amount for the families of forests guards who were killed while protecting forests. Chouhan said that the pay anomalies of the staff engaged in protection and conservation of forests would be rectified soon.

The Chief Minister distributed dividends of Rs 21.54 crore to joint forest management committees of eight forest circles of the state.

The Chairman of Forest Development Corporation Guruprasad Sharma presented a cheque of Rs 15 crore to the Chief Minister as lease rent.

Tomar said that welfare of forest dwellers is on the priority list of the state government. He expressed pleasure over increasing community participation in conservation and protection of forests.

The Minister for Forests Kunwar Vijay Shah said that the loss caused to forests by fire has been reduced from four percent to half percent during last three years. Shah said that the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has assigned the charge of forests and tribal welfare to a single minister for the first time in the country. Kushwah and Sharma also spoke on the occasion.

At the outset the guests lighted the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the function. Saplings were presented to the guests instead of bouquets on the occasion. Vice chairman of Forest Development Corporation Rajendra Harshwal; MLA Harivallabh Shukla; Principal Secretary, Forests Prashant Mehta; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests VR Khare and Managing Director of Forest Development Corporation RS Negi were also present on the occasion.