Key to sustainability: Forest management

Bhubaneswar: Thursday, Odisha Forestry Sector Development Society under Forest and Environment Department organized its Annual Review Conference Sameekshya 2018-19. The conference was organised to review and assess the progress of project implementation plan of Ama Jangala Yojana (AJY) and Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP-II), Phase-II in the financial year of 2018-19.Sandeep Kumar Tripathy, IFS, PCCF and Head of Forest Force, Government of Odisha, said on the occasion that the sustainable livelihood support interventions cannot be undertaken without sustainable bio-diversity management and forest management.

He also reiterated that Odisha has set a standard in the country in regeneration of forest areas and this effort will be continued with the key interventions of OFSDP-II and AJY.

Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project, Phase-II, BANAYANA

He said that Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project Phase II, also called, “BANAYANA” is being implemented by Forest & Environment Department with assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in form of soft loan through Odisha Forestry Sector Development Society (OFSDS) from 2017 – 18 to 2026-27. The aim of the project is to enhance the forest eco-system with sustainable livelihood of the forest dependent communities. The project cost is Rs. 1000.30 crores and it is being implemented in 14 Forest Divisions of 10 Districts of the State, through 1200 joint forest management committees designated as Vana Surakhsya Samities (VSSs).The Divisions are Baripada, Rairangpur, Karanjia, Dhenkanal, Athmallik, Ghumusur (N), Ghumusur(S), Boudh, Subarnapur, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Bamra (WL), and Rajnagar Mangrove Forest (WL) Divisions. The project aims to engage with 3600 women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in enhancing their income through different Income generating activities.Sudarshan Panda, IFS, Additional PCCF-cum-Special Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Government of Odisha, said that in Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project Phase – I which was also implemented by Forest and Environment Department with assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from Financial Year 2006-07 to 2014-15. In line with these policies and from lessons learnt from OFSDP-I, Government is implementing OFSDP-II to expand the achievement of OFSDP-I with the emphasis on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and community development.Restoration of degraded forests by offorestation, improvement of income of villagers by promoting sustainable forest management, improvement of environment and alleviating poverty are some of the project objectives.The project objectives of AJY is to promote sustainable forest management with emphasis on livelihood support for the communities living in forest fringe villages in villages in VSS mode.