Bhopal, May 14: The cabinet at its meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here today decided to upwardly revise tendu leaf collection rates for collection year 2008 with a view to ensuring them remunerative wages and their participation in tendu leaf collection and trade. Accordingly, the collection rate has been increased to Rs 550 per standard bag.

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, at a tendu leaf collection incentive wage distribution function at Tendukheda in Narsinghpur district on April 22 last, had announced to enhance the collection rate from Rs 500 to Rs 550 per standard bag.

It may be mentioned here that the present government has brought about uniformity in the rates of tendu leaf collection wages. Earlier, the rates varied in different areas. To bring about uniformity in the rate, it was fixed at Rs 400 per standard bag for entire Madhya Pradesh in 2006. Later, it was raised to Rs 450 in year 2007. Now, it has been decided to increase the rate to Rs 550 per standard bag for collection year 2008 for entire Madhya Pradesh, which is Rs 100 more than the previous year.

The cabinet also decided to immediately lift the ban on Sal seeds collection in entire Madhya Pradesh except in protected forest areas. Following this decision, on average the Sal seeds collection is likely to be about 40 thousand quintal annually. It is estimated that it would generate 180 lakh mandays of employment annually.

The lifting of ban on Sal seeds collection would beneficial in many ways. It would generate employment for the tribal communities. As the sprouting period of Sal seed is short (one week after ripening/maturing of seeds), it would be very meaningful to do so for optimum utilisation of the available resources. Besides, Sal seeds collection would be beneficial for private as well as public sector undertakings. It would help sustainable management of resources and prosperity of the state. Although, the condition of Sal seeds is good and regeneration is also adequate, yet a strict curb on bio effects, fire and other adverse factors would be necessary for sustainable development.

The resumption of Sal seeds in forest areas would increase the possibilities of making its trade profitable in view of the market demand of Sal seeds. A survey conducted by Madhya Pradesh State Forest Research Centre, Jabalpur has described as appropriate the resumption of Sal seeds in forest areas except in protected forests in view of the regeneration state of this important forest produce.