Government to use community forests as means of improving people’s quality of life

KATHMANDU, July 8: The government is learnt to have been planning to come up with clear policies regarding forest and environment sectors with an objective of improving the people’s living standard through the means of community forest.

Minister for Forest and Environment, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, in his response to issues raised by lawmakers about the Appropriation Bill’s headings concerning the ministry in a meeting of the National Assembly on Sunday, said forest areas conserved by communities would be applied for agro productions and tourism purposes and its profits would be utilized for the wellbeing of communities concerned.
Efforts would be taken for further management of the Chure region.

According to him, agriculture, livestock, soil conservation, rural roads construction and trees transplantations programs would be implemented, and the Greater Watershed Management Program run in an integrated way.

Good governance in forest sector and determination of ownership over it, making the scientific forest management program nationwide are the priorities of the government, as the minister informed the upper house.

He pledged the policy-level provisions through budget for herbs cultivation, its commercialization and opening of herbs industry. He went on to say that conservation of rivers, utility of river waters is the special priority of the government and becoming sufficient on timber were the priorities of the government.

Lawmakers Badri Prasad Pandey and Harichandra Shiwakoti demanded more clarifications on the raised issues from the line minister. RSS