Context:
The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change has issued model rules for felling trees in agricultural land, aiming to boost exports of wood-based products. The objective is to promote ease of doing business in agroforestry, boost domestic timber production, and support wood-based exports by simplifying rules for tree felling on farmland.
Key Highlights of the Model Rules
Purpose and Vision:
- Encourage tree-based farming to:
- Reduce timber imports
- Double farmers’ income
- Support domestic wood-based industries
- Enhance agroforestry exports
- Promote sustainable land use models
Simplified Regulatory Framework:
- Agroforestry land registration
- Online tree harvesting permissions
- Traceability via geotagging and updates
Use of Digital Portal:
- Introduction of National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal
- Farmers must:
- Register plantations with details: land ownership, species, location, and planting year
- Upload geotagged photos and update data regularly
Tree Felling Application & Verification:
- Applications for tree felling can be submitted online via NTMS
- Empanelled verifying agencies will inspect sites
- Based on reports, tree felling permits will be issued for agricultural lands
Monitoring Mechanism:
- Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) to supervise agencies
- State-level committees, under Wood-Based Industries Guidelines (2016), will guide:
- Agroforestry promotion
- Timber harvesting regulation
- Timber transit policies
Implementation & Appeal to States
- MoEFCC urges States/UTs to adopt model rules
- Goal: Incentivize farmers, remove bureaucratic hurdles, and integrate trees into farming systems
