Forest Management

For scientific management of forests, working plans for various divisions are prepared for ten-year period. Efforts are on to enlist people’s participation in restoration of forests through Joint Forest Management started in 1988 for which Orissa is a pioneer state. For this purpose the state has more than 9550 Vana  Samrakshyana  Samittees  (VSS) working in 8010 villages in place and total forest area assigned is 8430 sq km. Resources available for various works related to forest management are being augmented with food grains under food for work program.

Afforestation Programmes

Two major afforestation programmes being implemented in the state are the Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) in the KBK districts and the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) .

RLTAP: The forestry development program under RLTAP aim at reforesting the degraded forests with a view to improving availability of forest produce to support forest based livelihood. Improved forest cover will also result in improvement in soil moisture regime leading to improved farm productivity. Additionally, implementation of the programme will provide enhanced employment opportunities to the rural/tribal people. 

NAP (FDA):  The various program components are implemented through VSS selected to participate under the program which also provides for funds to meet certain immediate needs of the people under entry point activities. The projects sanctioned so far involve an area of about 48997 ha. to be treated over a period of five years in 34 FDAs.

Jagannath Ban Prakalp: To plant species for augmenting supply of timber required for the chariot of Lord Jagannath. Beginning in 2000 plantation over 2370 ha have been raised so far with the involvement of local communities. 

Economic plantation: Under this state plan scheme of plantations, commercially important timber species like teak over 3000 ha. are being raised annually as per fund availability following the prescriptions of working plan. For augmenting the financial allocation, food grains under “Food For Work” program are also utilized. However only 88ha economic plantation could be realized during 2004-2005 which was maintained during 2005-06. Further 1000ha teak plantation  with 2700 ha of RDF was to be taken up during 2006-07. There is a proposal to take 1200ha economic plantation and 3000ha RDF during 2007-08 in non KBK districts.

Medicinal Plants: Scheme for in-situ an ex-situ conservation of medicinal plants is being implemented in 7 divisions covering an area of 1400 ha. In addition efforts are being made to create awakening about the importance of herbal plants and Indian system of medicines. A herbal research garden and model nursery has been established at Bhubaneswar. The program is being coordinated by the State Medicinal Plants Board.  Another project called orissa vanaspati van project is being implemented in Gaudhamaradan hills where Meditional plants preservation over 200ha, Conservation over 300ha and excitu plantation over 32ha have been taken up till 2006-07. The project is in progress. The project has been funded by Ayusha MIA of Health GOI

Research and Development:

 Adequate R&D support is a necessary prerequisite for successful implementation of several forestry programmes.  To enhance R&D infrastructure in the state one more silviculture division at Rayagada, has been established during the reorganization of the department.  The two silviculture divisions, apart from coordinating with national research organization under ICFRE, also undertake research projects of importance to the state. under 12th Finiance Commission Grant, 4hitech nurseries have been established during 2006-07 at Ayodhlya (Balasore), Tarku(khurda), Bhusma(Sundargarh) and Jeriya (Raygarda) where from QPM will be produced in adequate quantity

Human Resource Development:

HRD programmes aim at capacity building of forest officers and staff in various ranks through refresher training courses and workshops being conducted at the Forest Rangers College, Angul and with the help of specialized NGOs. Training courses for ministerial and secretarial staff are being conducted with the help of Orissa Computer Application Center. Trainings programmes, workshops and exposure visits are also being organized for members of selected VSSs under FDA and RLTAP. Besides supporting Orissa Forest Sports Association (OFSA), the scheme provides training to FG, FR, Forest Deputy Rangers & Forest Rangers, ACFs & DCFs & motivational training to ministerial staffs. Training on Environmental Law, Right to Information Act & Motivational training for ministerial Staff were highly useful

Employment generated in Forestry :

About 110 lakh people are dependent either directly or in directly. They get their employment, earning from forestry works, Employment is generated in forest is equivalent to providing 100days employment in a year to 2.32 lakh people.

World Food Programme :

This programme was started in 1986 with the assistance of World Food Programme International. Under this programme, workers in selected forestry works in the project districts are provided ration comprising of 2.5kg rice and 200gms of pulses at subsidized rates of Rs. 9/- per food day. The amount so deducted from the wages, termed as welfare fund, is used for various developmental works as approved by the State Level Co-ordination Committee.