Wood is Good: But, is India doing enough to meet its present and future needs?
Wood is an important natural resource. In a developing country like India, on the one end of the spectrum, fuelwood continues to be the primary source of energy for millions of (mostly rural) citizens, while on other end of the spectrum, a healthy GDP growth rate ensures that a bourgeoning middle class craved for the most modern of wooden utilities, from modular kitchens to the latest designs in furniture. The growing stock of TOF has remained almost static across recent decades, so it can be assumed that timber production from TOF has also remained static or grown marginally—considering a marginal growth of 25 million cum in the 2015 assessment over the 2011 assessment (TOF growing stock in 2015 was 1,573 million cum).