Question

how forest gave opportunity to
tribals people for a new trade, employment and surface

Answer 1

In India it has been observed that wherever there is a large concentration of forest, there is also high concentration of tribal people in particular, and of the rural population in general. Rural people are dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods. For many of them, not only do the resources provide economic sustenance, but the forest is also a way of life socially and culturally. It meets basic needs like fuelwood, fodder and small timber that are important for them and their livestock. Degradation and depletion of the forest resources are increasing poverty and suffering among the rural people. Therefore, it is imperative to rehabilitate degraded forest resources in order to sustain rural livelihoods. This is possible only through devolution of power to the people for the management of forest. There have been several popular movements in India to protect the rights of the local people.

The National Forest Policy 1988 of the Government of India envisaged people's involvement in conservation, protection and management of forest. It emphasized that forest produce must go first to the people living in and around forests. Further, in June 1990 a Government resolution supported involvement of non-governmental organizations and the creation of village level institutions in forest management. With the active support of local organizations people's participation in forest management, was initiated and is generally known as Joint Forest Management (JFM) in India. Now, it is recognized that participatory management of forests is key to sustainable development for people and forests. This paper examines the experiences of JFM in the last decade to show the strengths of participatory management. This paper also pleads for suitable institutional arrangements for ensuring livelihood options for rural people and augmentation of forest resources, as both are crucial for the nation's development.