KATHMANDU, Sept 21: Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Shanker Bhandari has shared that the Ministry is coming up with a comprehensive plan of actions in a way to develop forest as a source of employment and economic development of the country.
Talking to RSS, Minister Bhandari noted that the upcoming programme will also lay emphasis on advancing good governance and scientific forest management, reducing encroachment and mitigating conflict between human and wildlife.
Forest guard fire aerial shots to disperse timber smugglers
The forest area is not only for the supply of wood and timber and conservation of wildlife but also for the creation of employment opportunities as well as the overall socio-economic development and ecological protection, Minister Bhandari added.
The Minister further shared that a committee formed to ensure effective management and supply of wood and timber is working on the war footing to gradually reduce the import of timbers and make the country self-sufficient on forest resources within five years.
He noted that the Ministry will emphatically allow people's participation for the sustainable development of forest and necessary amendments would be made on the Forest Act to that end.
The Forest Act would be amended in a way to maximize benefits to the state and the people, he clarified. RSS
