POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The National Forest Policy, 1988 and directives as well as decisions of the Supreme Court of India will provide the basic policy framework of PPA.

The legal framework for the People's Protected Areas flows from the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution, viz, Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, which inter alia provides for conferring the endowment of ownership rights of MFPs on Panchayat Raj Institutions (Village level institutions). In line with this, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh has endowed the ownership in consonance with the following principles :

  a) Harvesting of Minor Forest Produce will be on non-destructive basis.
  b) The members of the Gram Sabhas will be free to collect Minor Forest     Produce for their own consumption.
  c) The manner, frequency and intensity of Minor Forest Produce collection     for any use other than bona-fide domestic use by the members of the     Gram Sabhas will be in accordance with the prescription of a     managment plan prepared by Zila Panchayat in confirmity with the     guidelines as may be notified from time to time.

Besides the remunerative wages paid to the forest produce collectors, the net profit from the trade will be shared among the stakeholders on an equitable basis. Under the existing system of Tendu patta (Diospyros melanoxylon) trade, the net income generated by the collection and trade of tendu leaves is distributed in the following proportion :

• 50% to the primary collectors.

• 20% for the development of MFPs and regeneration of forests

• Balance for infrastructure development / cash payment.

This modality aims at developing positive stakes of all cocerned so that rather than working at cross-purposes, each one is motivated to contribute towards a common goal.