March 15, 2002

    The Environment and Forests Minister, Shri T.R. Baalu has called for effective financial arrangements to implement the plans and programmes to achieve sustainable development. Addressing the Ministerial Segment of the Second Substantive Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests in New York today, Shri Baalu asserted that this is particularly relevant in a scenario where developing countries like India have limited available resources and several competing demands to meet. He recalled that during the Rio negotiations, a commitment was made by the developed countries to provide an ODA of 0.7 per cent of the GNP for this purpose, but the actual ODA made available falls far short of the target. Shri Baalu added that setting up a Global Forest Fund and earmarking resources for forestry projects could be some of the options with this end in view.

    Shri Baalu told the Forum that at the commencement of the 10^th Five Year Plan from 1^st April this year, India has taken a decision to take necessary steps to enhance the forest cover in the country from around 19% to 33% within a period of the next ten years. This has been included as a regularly monitorable target by the National Development Council headed by the Prime Minister. He said that in an equally significant move, the Prime Minister of India has released a fifteen year National Wildlife Action Plan on 21^st January this year for conservation of wild and endangered species and their habitats.

    Talking on the ongoing Forest projects in India, Shri Baalu said that participation and involvement of people in management of forests is an effective strategy of the Indian Government for sustainable development. In the forestry sector, the Government has promoted Joint Forest Management – JFM – involving local communities in the management of forests in accordance with the National Forest Policy. JFM involves participatory planning, empowering of local communities and de-centralized committees are managing around 15 million hectares of forests in the country.

    Referring to the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg later this year he said that it will be an opportunity to reiterate the political commitment to sustainable forest management, taking into account the special needs of developing countries. Forests, given their ecological, socio-cultural and economic importance, will make a positive contribution to the quality of life of the present and future generations and we need to join hands for their protection, management and development in perpetuity, he said.