Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 5: Gram Panchayats across Jammu and Kashmir are raising green assets through plantations by utilizing the vacant village common lands/State lands in their respective area.
In collaboration with the Social Forestry Wing under Department of Forests, Environment and Ecology of J&K, the Village Panchayat (Plantation) Committees (VPPCs) headed by respective Sarpanchs, identify land and take up plantations of multipurpose tree species.
These plantations are protected and scientifically managed jointly by Forestry officials and social representatives of VPPCs. The households of Gram Panchayat play active role in protection of plantations and in return they derive benefits by getting free supply of fodder, fuelwood and small timber on equitable basis.
During the year 2021-22, 32112 quintals of fodder and 16580 quintals of fuelwood was distributed free of cost amongst 20850 rural households of 1646 Gram Panchayats, thus rendering valuable support to the livestock based rural economy.
J&K Government has enacted the provisions of transferring 75 percent revenue earned from sale of mature plantations to Village Panchayat Funds. The money deposited in these Funds is used by VPPCs for afforestation activities and part of it is also used for taking up other village utility works.
In last few years, many progressive Gram Panchayats have successfully raised plantations on available vacant lands and generated “Village Panchayat Funds” to finance such developmental activities as per needs of their Panchayats.
During July 2021, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha while handing over cheques to 41 such Gram Panchayats, ranging from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs, had emphasised to involve more and more Gram Panchayats in this process.
During 2022, funds worth Rs 30 lakhs were transferred to five Gram Panchayats and in current year, the figure may go up to more than two crore rupees benefitting more than 30 GPs as per official statement of the department.
This model of collaborative working is an important milestone in the journey of implementation of Panchayati Raj Act towards the empowerment of PRIS and their active role in transforming the developmental landscape of Jammu & Kashmir.
A Departmental communiqué says that elated by such success stories, many other Gram Panchayats have been coming forward and offering parcels of lands to raise plantations and silvi-pasture models. With the proactive participation of Gram Panchayats, during 2022-23 financial year, plantation of 32 lakh plants in 3500 GPs is being taken up which marks an increase of more than 60 percent over the average achievements prior to 2017-18 and it is expected that achievements would further increase in coming financial year, the official communiqué added.
The PCCF/Director of Department of Social Forestry, J&K, Roshan Jaggi, disclosed that the department in consultation with Gram Panchayats has drawn up plan to establish four mega pilots to establish block plantations in the coming plantation season using commercially important clonal varieties like Eucalyptus / Poplar to scale up the success achieved.
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