JAMMU, DECEMBER 19 (KNS): The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, accorded administrative approval to the policy for sustainable collection and utilization of Non-Timber forest Products NTFP in J&K.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K attended the meeting.

This policy is aimed at ensuring sustainable collection and utilization of Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), including medicinal plants, while providing livelihood support to the people residing in and around forests by promoting sustainable extraction, value addition and development of market linkages.

The policy is in sync with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Forest Policy 2011. This intervention of the Government will lead to dispensing of the existing practice of auction of non-timber forest produces and will permit local people to collect these resources from wild on sustainable basis so that they can share the benefits equitably amongst themselves.

This policy will result in enhancement of income of the local communities,value addition of these products besides Forest Department will also extend support for market linkages.(KNS)