Working Plan

Working Plan is a tool for scientific management of forests, evaluating the status of forest resources, assessing the impact of past management practices and working out suitable management interventions for forests for next ten years. The practice of systematic management planning of the forests in India was established during the colonial period, through a written statement of prescriptions titled as "Working or Management Plan (WP)" for a fixed period.

The National Forest Policy clearly states "No forest should be permitted to be worked without an approved Working Plan by the competent authority". Therefore, all forests in the country are to be sustainably managed as per the prescription of the working plan / scheme. To sustainably manage, conserve and utilize the forest resources and to bring uniformity in forest management planning across the country, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India adopted a uniform code, the National Working Plan Code in 2014, prescribing detailed professional scientific approach and contents for the guidance of the field officers.

The National Working Plan Code, 2014:

• As there has been a paradigm shift in the approach to environmental stability, biodiversity monitoring and management, restoration of ecological balance of the disturbed areas, protective functions of the resources and socio-economic benefits based on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), the revised National Working Plan Code 2014 has been formulated and enforced from 01.04.2014, to address the aspects related to climate change, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and carbo stock assessment, use of geospatial techniques, soil and water management, revitalization of rural economy on forest fringe, sustainable management of forests and peoples' participation, etc.
• Systematic grid-based forest inventory provided in the Code takes care of valuable baseline information for change matrix monitoring and analysis and better scientific and sustainable management of country's forests.
• Current approach of preparation of Working Plan involves two stage preparation process. In the first stage, a Preliminary Working Plan Report (PWPR) is to be prepared assessing the impact of past Working Plan, quantum of record up-dation and prognosis for future system of management. Upon approval of PWPR by the State Level Consultative Committee (SCC), the Draft Working Plan preparation is taken up. The Draft Working Plan report is also placed before the SCC for approval. On its approval Final Working Plan will be prepared as per the recommendations made by the SCC and will be processed to the GOI for its approval. On getting approval from the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate change, it will be communicated to the concerned Circe Head and Division Head for its implementation.

Status of Working Plans in the State of Andhra Pradesh as on 11-08-2022

• There are (23) Divisions in the state of Andhra Pradesh
• Out of (23), (22) Divisions are covered under working plan except WLM Division, Tirupathi which is being managed by the separate Wild life management plan.
• Out of 22 Divisions, 13 Division’s working plan was already expired and remaining (9) Division’s working plan are going to expire by 31/03/2023.
• As per National working plan code 2014, the Government in G.O.Rt.No. 397, EFS&T (Section. II) Dept., dated 3/12/2014 have constituted Standing Consultative Committee under the Chairmanship of Prl. Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force for preparation and finalization of working plans with the following members.

S.No.	Designation	Details
1	Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (HoFF) Andhra Pradesh	Chairperson
2	PCCF (WL) and Chief wildlife Warden for Andhra Pradesh	Member
3	Special Secretary to Govt., EFS&T dealing with the subject of Working Plan	Member
4	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Central), Government of India, In-Charge of Andhra Pradesh	Member
5	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dealing with the subject of Social Forestry	Member
6	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dealing with the subject of Research	Member
7	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dealing with the subject of Production	Member
8	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dealing with the subject of Information Technology	Member
9	Director, Institute of Forest Bio-Diversity, Hyderabad	Member
10	Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dealing with the subject of Working Plan	Member



• The Standing Consultative Committee, constituted by the Government has met periodically under the chairmanship of Prl. Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force and upon elaborate discussions, the preliminary working plan Reports (PWPRs) of all the (22) Divisions were got approved initially and subsequently the Draft working plan Reports (DWPRs) of all the above Divisions were also got approved in principle.
• As per the National working plan code, 2014, the final Draft working plan reports which were got approved in the Standing consultative committee should be submitted in complete shape to the Integrated Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forests, & CC, GOI Vijayawada under intimation to the State Government, for their letter of final approval. Upon receipt of approval from IRO, Vijayawada, the concerned working plan will come into force.
• In this regard, we have instructed all the concerned DFOs to prepare the final Draft working plan report in complete shape as per the approved DWPRs in the Standing consultative committee, and submit the same to the concerned CFs.
• The concerned CFs were requested to scrutinize the same and send to the Director, AP State Forest Academy, Rajamahendravaram to further scrutinize and return the same to the concerned Circle Heads / DFOs for rectification of deficiencies if any noticed.
• Upon rectification, the concerned CFs/DFOs were requested to ensure submission of final draft working plan report in complete shape to this office for it’s onward submission to Integrated Regional Office, MoEF&CC, Vijayawada for their letter of final approval.
• As and when we receive from the concerned circle heads, it will be forwarded to the Integrated Regional Office, MoEF&CC, Vijayawada for their letter of final approval.
• Since the division reorganization is under process, it was decided to complete the process for getting approval from the GoI. On getting approval, it was decided to adhere to the treatment prescriptions prescribed in the approved working plans, area based accordingly by the concerned divisions/districts in future.