During the nineteenth century, the denial of customary rights of people by the British colonial forest department, led to conflict with the local society. Our study shows how this conflict paved the way for the origin of van panchayats (VPs) in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand at the beginning of the twentieth century.The objective is to analyze such conflicts and see how VPs appeared and eventually evolved into people’s participatory forest management. VP as a system was institutionalized in 1931. The end of the British Empire and the emergence of independent India (1947) began a new era in the history of forest management. Several experimental attempts were undertaken.

1. Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University
Of Horticulture & Forestry

2. Presented By:- Sagar Chaudhary
ID No.:- 22342
Course Title:- Forest Management,
Policy & Legislation.
Course No.:- CFF-503
M.Sc. Forestry (Silviculture)

3. Content
History
Van Panchayat
Van Panchayat fund
Frame of van panchayat
Function of van panchayat
Powers of van panchayat
Micro plan
Van panchayat rule 2005

4. History
 1815-British arrived in Uttarakhand use forest as commercial resource.
1864-Established the Indian forest department
1878-Forest act passed, transferred mountain forest into the control of forest
department, imposed and banned forest fires.
1921-Kumaon forest grievance committee.
1927-Indian forest act.
1931-first van panchayat Rule
1972, 1976, 2001, 2005,- Van panchayat Rule.

5. Van Panchayat
Van panchayat is self initiated forest protection group in Uttarakhand.
Village communities of Uttarakhand have been involved in forest management
and forest protection known as van panchayats (VPs).
Van panchayat are a unique examples of forestry in partnership with government
and local people.

6. State govt. of Uttarakhand
Revenue dept. Forest dept.
Sub divisional magistrate Divisional forest officer
Application
VAN PANCHAYAT
Investigation Approval
Sarpanch
Van panchayat leader
User User
User
Management Committee

7.  The first government approved van panchayat was formed in 1921.
 There are 12167 van panchayat managing 732688.9 hectares of forests in
Uttarakhand.
 Except U.S. Nagar and Haridwar, 11 district of Uttarakhand have van
panchayat.
 Maximum No. of van panchayat in Pauri (2431) followed by Almora
(2199) and Pithoragarh (1666).
 Minimum No. of van panchayat is in Dehradun (215) followed by Nainital
(496).

8. Sources of fund
A panchayat forest fund shall be created for every van panchayat & the income from the following
sources shall be deposited in it:
The sale of proceeds of forest produce
Government grants
Any other sources of revenue
Van panchayat shall manage the Panchayati forest fund under the overall control of DFO. The account
shall be operated by the sarpanch.

9. Government grants of van panchayat
Fund disbursed to van panchayat for afforestation and other activities by forest
dept. has been Rs.4.26 crore in 2016-17, Rs.11.00 crore in 2015-16 and Rs.15.61
in 2014-15.

10. Function of van panchayat
To develop and protect forest.
To construct and fixed boundary and maintain them.
To ensure that there is no encroachment on van panchayat land.
To carry out the directives of the sub-divisional magistrate in developing and protecting forests.
20% of the area of the forest must be closed for grazing every year.
To distribution of forest produce amongst right holders in an equitable manner.

11. Uttarakhand
Total geographical area is 53483 sq km.
13 districts with 37999.60 sq km of forest (71.05% of total land area) an forest
cover is 24495 sq km (45.80%).
In Uttarakhand established approximate 12167 van panchayat, 6278 in Garhwal
region & 5889 in Kumaon region.

12. Frame of van panchayat
At least more than 50% mature people have to agree for making van panchayat in
their village and boundary of the village should touch the forest area (under the
Uttarakhand forest dept.).

13. The members of van panchayat
In van panchayat 5-13 members elected by peoples.
Election are held every 5 year.
One sarpanch is elected from themselves.
At list one SC/ST member & one women member should be elected to
committee.
The no. of members is depend on the no. of households in village.

14. Financial power of van panchayat
They can sell grass, fallen twigs and stone slates.
They can sell tree up to value of Rs 5000 with the approval of district magistrates and DFO.
The income released from resin, timber and fees is distributed as-
Zila parishad is given 20%.
Gram Sabha is given 40%.
The remaining is given to state forest department for maintenance and development of van
panchayat Rule.

15. The punitive power of van panchayat
They can levy fine up to Rs 50 with the prior approval of the deputy
commissioner, later revised up to Rs 500.
They can seize cattle.
They can forfeit the weapons of the offender.

16. MICRO PLAN- Van panchayat to prepare a micro plan for the management and
protection of Panchayati forests for a period of 5 year with the assistance of the DFO. The
micro plan will be placed before the general meeting of all right holders for it approval
before it is finally.
DUTIES OF SARPANCH- The sarpanch shall be responsible for overall
functioning of van panchayat. Which include calling and presiding meeting, directing and
managing the establishment, works and accounts. The sarpanch will have the power to
incur expenditure up to Rs 1000/.

17. VAN PANCHAYAT Rule 2005
Rule 1- Full name, establishment and expansion of van panchayat.
Rule 2- Definition.
Rule 3- Frame of van panchayat
Rule 4- Notice related to issue & clime
Rule 5- Appeal related to boundary of van panchayat and decision of issue and clime
Rule 6(A)- Right of user
Rule 6(B)- Duties of user
Rule 7- Formation of common assembly and management committee.

18. Rule 8- Appeal related to election
Rule 9- Declaration of management committee
Rule 10- Informed the forest dept. about van panchayat and management committee.
Rule 11- Management strategy
Rule 12- Micro plan.
Rule 13- Annual working strategy
Rule 14- Working plan of management committee.
Rule 15- Working periods of member of management committee
Rule 16- Meeting of management committee
Rule 17- Elimination of sarpanch and other members
Rule 18- Use of forest produce
Rule 19- Duties of management committee
Rule 20- Rights of management committee

19. Rule 21- Power to make byelaws
Rule 22- Appointment of labors
Rule 23- Maintained register
Rule 24- Annual working report of management committee
Rule 25- Duties of sarpanch
Rule 26- Stand down of sarpanch
Rule 27- Selection of another sarpanch within members
Rule 28- Fund of van panchayat
Rule 29- Management of fund of van panchayat
Rule 30- Use of fund that is obtained from forest produce
Rule 30(A)- Afforestation employment strategy
Rule 31- Annual budget

20. Rule 32- Change over annual budget
Rule 33- Account
Rule 34- Examination of accountant
Rule 35- Disposal objection related to exam of accountant
Rule 36- Information about Embezzlement (gaban)
Rule 37- Investigation of Embezzlement
Rule 38- Members or sarpanch are suspend
Rule 39- Suspension of members or sarpanch of management committee
Rule 40- Appeal against rule 38 & 39
Rule 41- Appointment of another sarpanch
Rule 42- Name of temporary sarpanch
Rule 43- Suspension, disruption and encroachment of management committee
Rule 44- Appeal against 43

21. Rule 45- Formation of new temporary management committee
Rule 46- Reorganization of management committee
Rule 47- Recovery of bill or dues of management committee
Rule 48- Evaluation of expense amount of management committee by forest dept.
Rule 49- Power of DFO
Rule 50- Evaluation of working activities of management committee by officers
Rule 51- Evaluation of working activities of management committee by MLA & Sansad
Rule 52- Formation of regional advisory committee
Rule 53- formation of district advisory committee

22. Rule 54- Formation of state level advisory committee
Rule 55- Selection of regional and district coordinators
Rule 56- Removal of regional and district coordinators through no confidence motion
Rule 57- Duties of regional and district advisory committee
Rule 58- All the van panchayat should follow the earlier implemented Rule of schedule district
act 1974/Kumaon panchayat forest Rule/tehri state province Panchayati legislation number 1,
1938/1976 or declared under Panchayati van Rule 2001

23. DISTRICT NO. OF
VILLAGES
NO. OF VAN
PANCHAYATS
AREA/HA TOTAL FUND
(IN LAKHS RS)
ALMORA 2248 2199 69853 414.00
BAGESHWAR 910 822 38783 126.85
CHAMOLI 1256 1082 188355 57.89
CHAMPAWAT 688 629 31233 4.38
DEHRADUN 746 215 7659 0.00
PAURI 2765 2431 52814 12.57
NAINITAL 530 496 28068 88.05
PITHORAGARH 1638 1666 87054 16.47
RUDRAPRYAG 680 574 20702 5.18
TEHRI 1778 1332 13180 0.00
UTTARKASHI 677 643 7265 6.64
TOTAL 13916 12167 544966 732.03

24. References
www.jstor.org/discover
Gupta, B.P.(2005). Uttaranchal Panchayati Van Niymawali. Uttaranchal: Van Vibhag

25. Thank You