their organisation and workings

1. Presented By:-
Saisikan Patra

2. Village Forest Committees (VFCs)
Village Forest Committee
 Such management programme came to the forefront only
after the National Forest Policy,1988.
 The National Forest Policy strongly suggested the idea of
empowering and involving local communities in the
protection and development of forests.

3. Other Names:-
 Forest Protection Committee
Village Forest Institution
 Van Panchayats (Uttarakhand)
Forest Co-operative Societies (Himachal Pradesh)
Van Samrakshan Samitis ( Andhra Pradesh)
Aim:-
 Prepare and implement management plans to
protect and manage the degraded forest areas of their
jurisdiction.
Composition of VFC:-
The VFC shall be formed for a part of a village, a village or for
a selected group of villages.
 Every adult member within the jurisdiction of VFC shall be
eligible to become a member of the General Body of the VFC.
 He/She can enroll himself/herself as member of VFC with the
Member Secretary of the VFC by remitting Rs. 2/-.

4. Formation of VFC;-
The Villagers interested in participating in the scheme of JFPM
may appoint a few promoters to facilitate the constitution of VFC
and shall approach the Range Forest Officer (RFO) concerned
and declare their intention to participate in the JFPM programme
with a list of interested villagers.
The RFO shall submit the proposals for registration of VFC to
the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) having jurisdiction over
the area.
VFC shall be registered as Associations under different state
Forest Act by the respective DCF (Territorial).
Managing Committee of VFC:-
Tenure- 5 Yrs
Conduct day to day activities of the VFC & spare their time for
VFC activities.
They are responsible for proper administration and active
functioning of the VFC.

5. The constitution of this committee is as follows:

6. Management Plan (MP):-
A detailed plan of action of VFC activities is prepared by the
VFC in consultation with all its members, the forest department
and all other Government and Non-government agencies
concerned.
MP is effective for a period of 10 years and reviewed after 5
years and also in consonance with the approved working plan.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU):-
It is the official and legally binding agreement of
partnership in JFPM activities.
It is prepared to implement JFPM activities by the
VFC for a period of 10 years and reviewed after 5
years.

7. Duties and Responsibilities of the VFC:-
Help Forest department in preparing MP for the areas
identified for the purpose.
Assist the Forest department in planning, protection,
conservation and development wastelands included in the MP.
Effectively perform its duties and responsibilities as per MOU
and MP.
 VFC shall assist in identification of land, choice of species,
mode of protection and shall also provide necessary assistance
and co-operation in protection and management of plantations.
 Play an important role in enriching the forests by preventing
encroachments, forest fires, illicit cuttings, smuggling of forest
produce and poaching of wild animals and regulating grazing .
The VFC shall access the funds from government, Forest
Development Agency (FDA) and other development agencies for
implementation of MP.

8. (Pictures of Village Forest Committee Metting)