STRUCTURE,
COMPOSITION, FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF
FOREST
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES
Forest
Development Agencies (FDAs): FDAs are to be
registered as Federation of all Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) within a territorial/wildlife forest divisions under the
Societies’ Registration Act, with the following structure:
General Body
|
Executive Body
|
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Chairperson- Conservator of Forests Members: Presidents of JFMC General Bodies, not more than 50 at any
time, to be nominated by Chairperson on rotational basis for a period of one
year[1], of which 20 would be
women representatives. In the event adequate number of
women chairpersons are not available, the women representatives will
be drawn from the members of the General Bodies of JFMCs. One
non-official representative to be nominated by the apex institutional
framework of Panchayats. |
Chairperson-
Conservator of Forests Member
Secretary cum Chief Executive Officer – Divisional Members Ex-officio
Members (without voting rights) – District
Development Officer, District level Officers of Agriculture, Rural
Development, Animal husbandry, Soil Conservation, Tribal Welfare, Industries,
Public Health & Engineering, and Education Departments[2]. ADM/AC to be
nominated by DC/DM3. One
non-official representative to be nominated by the apex institutional
framework of Panchayats. Fifteen
nominees from the JFMCs, to include minimum of 7 women[3]. |
Note 1: FDAs for the
Wildlife Divisions shall be confined to the territorial jurisdiction of
protected area network under their control.
Note 2: Executive
Body of the FDA will co-opt the experts (without voting rights) in such
disciplines as are not represented to advise on the
preparation of microplans and for implementing specific components of the
projects.
Note 3: . In case the situations so warrant, the respective State
Governments may also include participation of other Divisional Forest Officers
–in- charge of Social Forestry/ Minor Forest Produce/ IWDP/ Soil Conservation,
etc Divisions in the Executive Body of the FDA as
ordinary members.
However, the concerned Territorial/ Wildlife DFO shall continue to be the
Member Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of the FDA.
The General Body will
meet at least once in a year, while the Executive Body will meet at least once
in three months.
Activities
of FDAs
(i)
Implementation
of centrally sponsored afforestation schemes.
(ii)
Other
beneficiaries oriented activities like agro forestry, avenue plantations.
(iii)
Take
steps for value addition and marketing of produce.
(iv)
Inventorisation
of land and other natural resources.
(v)
Environmental
education.
(vi)
Awareness
and active association in protection against poaching and illicit felling of
timber.
(vii)
Establishment
and management of decentralised nurseries with marketing arrangements.
(viii)
Assist
in management of CPRs.
(ix)
Address
socio-economic needs of people.
(x)
Management
of existing captive water resources in the villages.
(xi)
Active
involvement in forest fire fighting operations.
(xii)
Monitoring
of activities of local NGOs.
Functions of
FDAs
(i)
Approve
plans for all afforestation related activities in forest fringe villages,
including the microplans.
(ii)
Provide
support and assistance to JFMCs for micro planning.
(iii)
Organise
training and awareness programmes.
(iv)
Implementation
of water harvesting and soil conservation measures with appropriate approvals.
(v)
Inter se prioritisation for scheme- and activity-wise financial outlays.
(vi)
Decide
entry point activities.
(vii)
Formulate
guidelines for utilisation and sharing of usufruct.
(viii)
Evolve
rules for use of funds created.
(ix)
Improvise
technological improvements.
(x)
Develop
Guidelines for employment generation opportunities.
(xi)
Establish
and maintain decentralised nurseries.
(xii)
Coordinate
and Monitor the activities of their constituent JFMCs.
(xiii)
Conceptualise
innovative schemes, viz. establishment of botanical gardens, sacred groves etc.
(xiv)
Deal
with contingencies such as drought, flood and forest fires.
(xv)
Coordinate
with DRDAs and other relevant government departments to dovetail their schemes
and programmes with afforestation schemes so that watersheds can be developed
in a holistic manner.
[1] A person who has served on the General Body would be eligible for re-nomination after two years of the expiry of his previous tenure.
[2] In case the forest division falls in more than one district, representatives of all concerned districts will be nominated to function on the Executive Body.
[3] A member who does not attend three consecutive meetings of the Executive Body shall be disqualified from the Executive Body.