Forest corporation approves new rates of non-timber produce, royalty

Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation Ltd today approved new rates of non-timber produce and royalty. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Pricing Committee of the corporation held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The last meeting of this committee was held in 2022.

The Chief Minister directed the Forest Development Corporation to undertake the extraction of cider wood stumps, ending the current practice of hiring private contractors. He instructed the corporation to prepare a roadmap for the extraction of around 10,000 cider wood stumps.

The corporation presented a cheque for Rs 41.30 crore to the Chief Minister on account of royalty revenue earned from the silviculture felling of Khair and Saal trees.

Sukhu directed the Forest Department to make prompt and effective arrangements for preventing forest fires in view of the ongoing summer season. Vice-Chairman of the State Forest Development Corporation Kehar Singh Khachi, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) KK Pant, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Samir Rastogi, Managing Director of the corporation Sanjay Sood and other officers of Forest Department attended the meeting.