Social Forestry Wing of this department has also achieved remarkable success towards improvement of environment and elevation of socio-economic condition of the rural mass. Most of the unutilized Government waste land, VGRS & PGRS have been identified and brought under Social Forestry Plantation with the objective to provide fuel wood, fodder, fruits, small timber for construction of huts and agricultural implements to the rural people. Social Forestry wing of this state has also given full importance to support the traditional cottage industry. For example, to support the "Eari & Muga" Silk industry in the rural areas Som plantations have been taken up extensively. The uptodate plantation raised under Social Forestry Schemes is approximately one lakh hectors. Under Extension Forestry, road side parks and recreation centres have been created to improve the quality of life of the people.

Achievement of various schemes under Social Forestry Assam

Seedlings were raised under schemes such as SFG, TSP & SCCP & maintenance was done. Also seedlings are being raised in the nurseries in Assam.

Plantations are also done JFMCs under FDAs in Assam which includes Artificial Regeneration, Natural Regeneration, Bamboo plantation and Medicinal & Aromatic plantation.

Objectives

1. Short-term Objectives

Regeneration and eco-development of degraded forest and adjoining areas on a watershed basis.

1.  Augmentation of the availability of fuel wood, fodder and grasses from the regenerated areas.

2. Securing people’s participation in planning and regeneration efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of forest products from the regenerated lands and to promote the partnership concept in the management and administration of forests sand common property resources.

3.  Promote agro-forestry and development of Common property Resources.

4.  Promotion of fuel saving devices to encourage efficient use of fuel wood and to reduce the drudgery of rural women involved in collection of 3wood, as also to improve the environment.

5. Conservation and improvement of non-timber forest produce such as bamboo, cane and medicinal plants.

6.  Encourage production of non-timber products such as wax, honey, fruits and nuts from the regenerated areas.

7. Raising coastal shelterbelts to mitigate the adverse impacts of cyclonic winds.

8. Develop water resources through plantation and water harvesting programmer.Development and extension of improved technologies such as clonal propagation .and use of root trainers for raising seedlings, mycorrhizal inoculation, etc.

9. Rehabilitation of special problem lands like saline/alkaline soils, ravines, desert areas, coastal areas, mined areas ,Himalayas, Aravallis and western Ghats.

10.  Employment generation for the disadvantaged sections of the society, particularly women. Scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and landless rural labourers, inhabiting the forests and adjoining areas.

2. Long – term objectives

1. Protection, Conservation of natural resources through active involvement of the people.

2. Checking land degradation, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

3. Ecological restoration and environmental conservation and eco-development. Evolving village level people’s organization which can manage the natural resources in and around villages in a sustainable manner.

4. Fulfillment of the broader objectives of productivity equity, and sustainability for the general good of the people.

5. Improve quality of life and self-sustenance aspect of people living in and around forest areas.

6. Capability endowment and skill enhancement for improving employability of the rural people.

3. JFMC Benefit Sharing

As per prevailing rules of JFMC, initial profit 50% will go to the beneficiaries of the JFMCs and final profit accumulated in final harvesting of 50% will be shared to the beneficiaries under the JFMC concerned.

Improvement & development of Tribal villages in Assam through FDAs is achieved with the fund received from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India funds the following activities

1. Fuel wood plantation

2.  Jatropha plantation

3. Distribution of improved chullah –

4. Bio-gas plant –

Under the National Mission on Bio Fuel of Ministry of Rural Development. Government of India sanctions nurseries.

High Tech Nurseries are established in the State and plantations are done through NGOs under the “Greening India Scheme” of Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India.

Other schemes

1. The Government of Assam, under MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANT GARDEN SCHEME sanctions funds for taking up the scheme in various districts of Assam.

2.  CULTIVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANT AND CULTIVATION OF CASHEWNUT SCHEME  This scheme is submitted to the Director Horticulture Guwahati and will be implemented through JFMC in Assam. The Director Horticulture issues instructions to District Agriculture officers in this context.

3.  BIO-GAS PLANT This is for installation of Bio gas plant in JFMCs through the fund to be sanctioned by Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources. A subsidized rate would be fixed for the beneficiaries.

4. HONEY BEE Setting up of Honey Bee plant through the State is to be implemented through JFMCs. A subsidized rate would be fixed for the beneficiaries. The Director, Horticulture, Assam will sanction the fund for implementation of the Scheme.

5.  L.P.G. A proposal has been taken up for distribution of LPG connection with gas chullah in JFMCs. The Manager (Marketing), I.O.C., Guwahati is involved in this venture.

Awareness Programme

a. Awareness programme is taken up through distribution of seedlings by distributing seedlings in the State of Assam.

b. There are some important aspects in the Basistha Forest enclave for the school children which may make them interested in forestry & wildlife viz.

i. High Tech nursery, Bamboo nursery, General nursery, Orchid house, Natural Forest Vegetation etc.

ii. Botanical garden

iii. Gasifier plant

iv. Pigmey Hog breeding centre