Jammu : Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (HoFF) Dr. Mohit Gera chaired the 10th SLC meeting on Wood Based Industries for Jammu region here at Van Bhawan, Jammu, the other day.
Against 36 proposals placed for approval, 32 Wood Based Industrial proposals were approved by the SLC for issuance of licenses by the Licensing Authority.
Amongst 32 approved proposals for establishment of Wood Based Industries under the provisions of SO 321 of 2022 include 14 proposals for Kathua, Samba, Billawar, Udhampur and Jammu and 7 proposals for Rajouri, Reasi and Poonch and 11 for Ramban and Doda Districts.
The approval for issuance of licenses for setting up of these Wood Based Industries shall facilitate promotion of Industries and generate local employment in J&K in general and Jammu region in particular.
The Chairman SLC appreciated the data compilation done with respect to total crushing capacity of Wood Based Industries and availability of wood from all sources in the market. He also stressed upon the need to generate awareness amongst stakeholders regarding initiative taken by the Government for promotion of farm forestry by providing good quality germplasm of short-duration maturity fast growing tree species with an immense potential for income generation for local farmers.
In this regard, the Govt. has already simplified procedure for promotion of Wood Based Industries and Furniture Units, notified as SO 321 of 2022 as Wood Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Rules, 2022.
The notification issued has stipulated only one-time registration for furniture units for which no license is required, while the renewal of licenses for Wood Based Industries shall be for a period of five years instead of two years which was in vogue. It was also decided that frequent meetings and deliberations must take place among Forest and Industries and Commerce departments along with unit holders and other stakeholders, so that further steps be taken to promote the Wood Based Industries in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by B.M Sharma, CCF Jammu and Member Secretary State Level Committee, S.K Sinha, Addl. PCCF Central, VasuYadav, Managing Director, JKFDC, Samuel Changkija, Chief Conservator of Forests, Settlement and Demarcation, AmitVermani, Joint Director Industries and Commerce, Jammu. Moreover, Dr. Raja Ram, from Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, GoI, Chandigarh, T. Rabi Kumar CCF Kashmir and Touheed Deva Conservator of Forests, Working Plan also attended the meeting through online mode alongwith B. Mohan Dass, CF East Circle Jammu, Vivek Verma CF West Circle, Rajouri and Dr. Jatinder Kumar Singh CF Chenab Circle Doda as special invitees who also thoroughly contributed in the deliberations.
