Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) on Wednesday agreed to provide a loan assistance of Rs 655 crore for developing and enhancing non-timber forest products (NTFP) in Uttarakhand.

This was decided at a meeting at the secretariat here where a 5-member delegation from JICA met state chief secretary Alok Kumar Jain. "Jica has agreed to work on the non-timber forest products in the Himalayan region," said an official statement said.

Jamguda (Kalahandi): Transit permit to villagers to procure and sell forest resources will create a revolution in the country as it is an important tool to empower tribal communities, stressed Unio

In a major step to empower forest dwellers, Jamguda in the tribal dominated Kalahandi district on Sunday became the first village in Orissa and second in the country to exercise its community right

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to set up the second Bamboo Bazaar in Bhubaneswar to promote bamboo products that will uplift the socio-economic condition of bamboo-growers in the state. At present, one Bamboo Bazaar is functioning near DAV school in Unit-VIII.

The forest department would spend around Rs 27 lakh for the proposed bazaar under the Centre-sponsored National Bamboo Mission. Recently, it asked the textile and handloom department to explore the feasibility of opening the market in the Urban Haat.

A meeting of Tamil Nadu Tribals Association (TNTA) state office-bearers held here has appealed for immediate implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006, in the State and also steps to avoid delays in issuing community certificates to tribal groups.

Disclosing the contents of resolutions passed at the meeting held a few days back, TNTA state president P. Shanmugam said that of all States, only Tamil Nadu had not put into effect the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, popularly known as Forest Rights Act, till now.

Representatives of various tribes in the state on Sunday resolved that they will form an all India union and will vote for the party which promises to implement the Forest Rights Act 2006 that prov