Report of the working group on ecosystem resilience, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for the XII Five-Year Plan
India stands today at the cross-roads where it is becoming abundantly clear that not paucity of funds, but deficit in governance is the most significant challenge before the society. A frank assessment of the current functioning of Forestry and Wildlife Establishment brings out that: Given the extremely weak base, often subject to deliberate manipulation, of empirical information, and lack of democratic culture of science, the management is far from scientific; The management has been entirely non-sustainable; The management has been socially unjust, resulting in grave unrest over much of the forested belt and seascapes of the country; and The management is economically inefficient and highly wasteful of resources. This is the report of the working group on ecosystem resilience, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for the XII Five-Year Plan.