Addressing a State-level mega convention of tendu leaf collectors and forest committees at Jamboree Ground here on Sunday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to increase tendu leaf collection rate from Rs 950 to Rs 1,250 per standard bag.
Chouhan said that a forest academy will be established at Bhopal. Training would be imparted to the forest staff, members of joint forest management committees and the forest produce primary cooperative societies, bamboo crafts persons and farmers.
He said that a farm forestry policy to promote growing of trees and bamboos will be announced in the current year. He said that houseless poor urban families will be provided housing facility during the Poor Persons Welfare Year.
Exhorting forest committees to conserve forests, the Chief Minister said that honorarium of managers of forest produce primary cooperative societies will be increased from Rs 5,000 to 6,000 per month. To benefit tendu leaf collectors, assistance of Rs 25,000 given on death will be increased to Rs 2 lakh. Of this, Rs 1 lakh will be given by the State Government and an equal amount by the insurance company. In case of total disability, an assistance of Rs 1 lakh will be given. Assistance of Rs 25,000 would be given on normal death of a tendu leaf collector, he added.
Chouhan said that distribution of dividend worth Rs 45.40 crore on wood and bamboo for year 2015-16 has started. Dividend for wood payable to forest committees will be increased from 10 to 20 percent. He said that a reward scheme would be launched to give away annual cash prizes to outstanding forest committees and forest produce primary cooperative societies. The joint forest management committees' partnership in plantation by the Forest Development Corporation will be increased and they would be provided dividend.
The Chief Minister said that instead of the Revenue Department, the Forest Department would give compensation against crop loss due to wild animals by separating it from loss due to natural calamities.
Chouhan said that compensation against loss of life due to wild animals will be increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. Compensation would also be given on injury to domestic animals by wildlife.
The Chief Minister said that farmers will be given incentive amount on planting of saplings after obtaining them from any source. Till day, incentive was given only on plantation of saplings purchased from nurseries of the Forest Department.
The Chief Minister distributed bonus of tendu leaf and dividend on wood and bamboo to forest committees. He launched new medicinal products of Minor Forest Produce Federation including 'Garbhniraksha Wati' and 'Vamanrakshak Wati'. He released a directory of forest produce primary cooperative societies district union of the Minor Forest Produce Federation. Narendra Kumar delivered the welcome address.