Key Highlights
- New model rules simplify permissions for cutting trees on agricultural lands.
- NTMS portal will digitize plantation registration and felling approvals.
- The initiative aims to increase rural incomes through tree cultivation.
- Policy aligns economic growth with ecological sustainability.
Detailed Insights
Objective: To streamline regulations surrounding the felling of trees on farmland, thereby encouraging agroforestry.
Background: Farmers have repeatedly faced bureaucratic obstacles in acquiring cutting licenses, deterring the integration of trees and shrubs into their crops.
Key Features: State‑level committees will oversee implementation, while agroforestry plantations must be registered on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal with land ownership proof, KML‑based farm location, species details, and geo‑tagged photographs.
Verification Process: Empanelled agencies conduct field inspections; Divisional Forest Officers supervise these inspections to ensure compliance.
Expected Impact: The rules will boost domestic timber production, support wood‑based industries, expand export prospects, and strengthen India’s climate commitments by increasing green cover.