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JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT IN ORISSA BY PANCHAYAT
Joint Forest Management (JFM) was introduced into Orissa on 1st June
1988 by JFM resolution and subsequently into other states like West Bengal,
Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka. This
is a co-operative experiment where the foresters, NGOs and the local communities
are involved in the protection and management of resources. Forest Protection
Committee (FPC) is constituted for this purpose by the DFO. The members
will be selected from the concerned villages; the villagers will get 25
percent of benefits and can collect all the fallen twigs, grass, fruits,
flowers, seeds (excluding cashew) and leaves. Though JFM gives back some
of the original rights to the local communities, it still retains the power
centre with the forest department.
Success Statistics 
- A 'Socio-Economic Project' launched for eleven villages for protection
of sal coppice
- 618 families initially participated, in protecting 1272 ha
of forest
- By July 1990, 1611 Forest Protection Committees had been formed,
protecting 195,000 ha of forest lands in the three southwest districts
of West Bengal; Bankura, Midnapore and Purulia - 47% of the total forest
land (Malhotra and Deb).
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