Forest Management Panels To Come Under Gram Sabha

In a letter to all Chief Ministers on Friday, Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh directed State governments to amend State acts and rules to bring all Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) under the supervision of Gram Sabhas.

This means that the village leaders of the Gram Sabha will get control of the Rs.1,000 crore of forestry-related funding that is currently routed through the nation's one lakh JFMCs. “The manner in which the development funds of the JFMCs are used should be approved by the Gram Sabha," says Mr. Ramesh's letter. Read the full report here.

Source: Special Correspondent, The Hindu, New Delhi.