Ama Jungle Yojana receives wide community acceptance in forest pockets.

Bhubaneswar, Dec 19 : Ama Jungle Yojana (AJY) of the State Government has received wide community acceptance in forest areas of the State.

 It has been extended to 23 forest divisions covering 158000 hector of forest area.

 Taking a division wise review of the progress, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi during a High Power Committee Meeting directed the officials to intensify alternative livelihood promotion activities in the concerned areas so as to reduce direct dependence of people on the forest.

He stressed carrying forward the sustainable livelihood activities in convergence with MGNREGS and Odisha Livelihood Mission programmes.

The review revealed that presently AJY is being implemented through Odisha Forestry Sector Development Society of Forest & Environment department.

The main objective of the scheme is to promote sustainable forest management in the State on participatory mode with Vana Surakshya Samities (VSS).

So far, the project has been extended to 23 territorial and wild life forest divisions in various districts like Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Gajpati, Keonjhar, Angul, Sundargarh, Phulbani, Koraput, Rayagada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Keonjhar, Malkangiri and  Kandhamal.

A total 3180 VSS have been formed and made functional in these forest divisions and each VSS is entrusted with responsibility of developing and taking care of around 50 hectors of forest.

The activities like silvicultural operations, soil and moisture conservation, fire line tracing, checking of forest fire, natural regeneration, increasing density of degraded forest, assisted natural regeneration, entry point developmental activities in the forest villages etc are taken up through these VSS.

As of now, a total forest area of around 133731 hector has been treated under natural regeneration and green coverage in 1010 hect have been deepened through block plantation. Capacity building training on alternative means of livelihood is imparted to VSS and SHG members.

According to available data, around 2.05 lakh beneficiaries have been brought into the fold of livelihood activities. Around Rs.265 cr has been provisioned under the programme during last two fiscal years.

So far, a total amount of around Rs. 217 cr has been utilized in these activities.

Padhi issued directives to take up more livelihood activities in convergence with MGNREGS and Livelihood Mission. Target was set in the meeting to cover a total number of 7000 VSS in coming year.

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