GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

(FOREST DEPARTMENT)

 

Rc.No.42120/2004/U2

Date: 28.11.2004

Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

 

SRI S.K. DAS, IFS.,

PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS

 

CIRCULAR No. 6/2004/U2

 

Sub: Andhra Pradesh Forest Department - Programme to alleviate the

poverty of the rural poor - Planting in the village homesteads

particularly those of the weaker sections with high value grafts -

Certain guidelines - issued.

 

The Forestry Projects aim at alleviation of the rural poverty through sustainable management of forests. In this regard, several measures have been taken up to develop the forests with the idea to manipulate the composition of the existing forests in order to generate income and employment to the local community.

 

The subject of raising high value useful species in the homesteads of all the villagers in the 8000 forest fringe villages (approximately) has been discussed for quite some time. The field level functionaries have been requested to select a few villages of the weaker sections to start with. In this regard, the Conservators of Forests and the Divisional Forest Officers (Territorial)/(Planning & Extension)/(Wildlife) have been requesting for clarifications on different issues from time to time. It is, therefore, considered necessary to issue clear guidelines as described below so that the programme can be implemented properly within the time frame.

 

(1) The forest fringe village where the VSS is in existence should be selected.

Preference should be given to a village of weaker section like Tribals/SCs

to start with and where the VSS has been functioning quite successfully.

 

(2) Once the village is selected the number of families should be enumerated

and the number of planting points in each homestead be assessed.

 

(3) In the beginning itself the villagers should be told about the programme i.e. supply of high value graft seedlings and useful species like Drumsticks, Papaya, Banana etc. free of cost to them for planting in their homesteads with the idea that the individual family would get the benefit within a short time.

 

(4) Once the choice of species for each individual family is finalised with the

number of planting points, a general discussion should be held among the villagers for digging the pits of the size of 45 x 45 x 45 cm3 and keep 1/2 cft of dry cow dung powder for each pit ready. The department should supply 100 grams of SSP for each planting point.

(5) The choice of seedlings may be restricted to following –

 

(a) Grafts:-Mango, Usiri, Guava, Chinta etc

(b) Non-Graft:-Day-to-day useful species Drumstick (Munaga), Papaya

(Boppai) Banana (Arati), Lemon lime

Care should be taken to see that Banana is planted where waste water

flows in each homestead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6) Funds flow for this project will be from SGRY, FDA (Entry Point Activity) and CFM Projects. The Divisional Forest Officers (Territorial)/(Planning & Extension)/(Wildlife) are in charge of implementation of this project. The Conservators of Forests/Divisional Forest Officers are requested to note that in no time there will be any problem to adequate funding of this project.

 

If any of the officers faces any problem in this regard he/she should

immediately contact the concerned officers (Chief Conservator of Forests

(SF)/Chief Conservator of Forests (CFM)/Chief Conservator of Forests

(FDA)/Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests/Principal

Chief Conservator of Forests.

 

(7) Once all the homesteads are covered by planting with the species as

described in para - 5 (a) & (b) we should try to find out whether any

community land is available for taking up planting with valuable

indigenous NTFP/Non-NTFP species in order to create a bio-aesthetic

plantation (Karthika Vanam) (as discussed in the Circular No.3/2003/U.1)

This should be taken up only when the villagers/VSS/Panchayat give full support to this programme. Care should also be taken to see that the grazing field is not totally covered by the planting programme; otherwise our programme will create some other problem for the villagers.

 

It should be mentioned here that the intention is not only to cover the 8000 forest fringe villages as mentioned in above para but also to cover all the villages in our State (29,000 villages in the State)in due course, but our first target is the forest fringe villages. This programme should be completed by December 2005. After covering the forest fringe villages, a review will be made and the decision taken in consultation with the Government for the other villages.

 

The Conservators of Forests / Divisional Forest officers are requested to make a detailed exercise with their field level functionaries and assess the requirement of grafts village-wise and see that supply of grafts by developing sufficient number in our nurseries and procurement from Horticulture Department is made in time every month so that the planting programme can be taken up all the time of the year without any interruption. This programme, if implemented properly will not only create an element of food security to the children of our villagers, improve the aesthetic aspect of the rural landscape but also increase the confidence of the villagers in the functioning of the Forest Department enormously.

 

Sd/- (S.K. DAS)

PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS

 

To

All the Conservators of Forests (Territorial)/(Planning & Extension)/(Wildlife)

All the Divisional Forest Officers (Terrirorial)/(Planning & Extension)/(Wildlife)

Copy to all the Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests/Chief Conservators of Forests for information and necessary action.

 

Copy to Circular Stock file.

 

//t.c.b.o.//

 

 

Superintendent