The Jharkhand Forest Produce Advisory Board on Tuesday raised price of specified forest produce wood on the land of forest dwellers seven per cent more from the purchase price fixed in the year 2016. The decision will directly benefit forest dwellers of the State who are dependent on forest land and sell eight specified category of woods to the government.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das, chairing the meeting, asked the committee members to play a role in maintaining the prices of the forest produce and should give important suggestions related to the wildlife and forests.
Taking cognizance on the suggestion of panel members Das said that fencing around the forest land should be done for all round development of forests. Members suggested rectifying some errors in Garhwa and Giridih districts where some land plots have erroneously come under the forest land. The CM ordered the forest and revenue department officials to mark such matters and solve the issues through proper coordination keeping in mind the interest of the land owners.
The CM, on the occasion, also ordered to take stern action against land mafia who encroach and capture forest land. He said that forest are not only forests but the complete forest life. Therefore, he said that the interest of people living in the forests was very important.
The Committee is headed by Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who also holds the Forest department portfolio. Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahto, Vice chairman and members Jayprakash Singh Bhokta (MlA), Nagendra Mahto (MlA), Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Kumar, PCCF RR Hembrom, ACCF and MD of JSFDC SS Gupta, Tapeshwar Prasad of West Singhbhum, Mukesh Kumar Sinha of Garhwa and Simon Oraon of Ranchi were present in the meeting.