Question

Why forests were considered unproductive during British rule?

Answer 1

This is because :-
• At that time , Indian forests didn't produced timber required for ship building.
• British saw forest as unproductive and cleared them to convert it into cultivable land.
• Forests meant to represent tribal welfaee which Britishers hated .

Answer 2

The forests yielded neither revenue nor agricultural products is the right answer.

The British government regarded the forests of India as uncultivated because the forests during that time yielded neither revenue nor agricultural products. They considered the cultivated forests as a sign of their progress as cultivated forests provided the government with revenue. Therefore,  in order to assure revenue for the state, the wasteland had to be brought under cultivation. This brought of 6.7 million hectares of the land under cultivation.