GoM likely to meet this week to discuss National Forest Policy

A meeting of a Group of Ministers (GoM) is likely to be held this week to discuss the National Forest Policy, sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting of the GoM, chaired by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, is likely to be held on May 15 to discuss the National Forest Policy, they said.

The overall objective of the NFP 2018 is to safeguard the ecological and livelihood security of people, of the present and future generations, based on sustainable management of the forests for the flow of ecosystem services.

"In order to achieve the national goal for eco-security, the country should have a minimum of one-third of the total land area under forest and tree cover.

"In the hills and mountainous regions, the aim will be to maintain two-third of the area under forest and tree cover in order to prevent soil erosion and land degradation and also to ensure the stability of the fragile eco-systems," the draft policy said.