13. Constraints to forestry research

13.1. Lack of funding for tree improvement programmes

Tree improvement is an activity that requires adequate input and gestation period. Therefore, various user agencies should be provided with external funding for the establishment of clonal seed orchards, seed production areas, tissue culture techniques, establishment of trial plots for clonal forestry using rooted cuttings as well as plants raised by tissue culture. In addition, funds are also needed to upgrade the existing seed storage facilities: mist chambers and tissue culture laboratories in order to mass-produce quality planting stocks for large scale planting programmes.

13.2. Mobilization of funds in the past

Since the commencement of the First Five Year Plan (FYP) in 1951, in total Rs 85 billion have been spent by the end of the Eighth FYP in 1996-97 on forestry development planning activities. During this period, afforestation of about 26.9 million ha has been carried out. Financial allocation to the forestry sector has increased from Rs 76 million in the First FYP to Rs 40 818 million in the Eighth FYP, but is has always been less than 1% of the total plan outlay of the country. This is one of the main reasons for the continuous deterioration of forest resources (Table 13).

A provision of Rs 68 billion has been made for the Ninth Plan. During 1997-98, afforestation of 1.48 million ha was completed which involved the distribution of 1033 million seedlings. Thus, up to 1997-98, the total area afforested is 28.38 million ha, which includes a national target of 4.65 million ha (equivalent of 9309 million seedlings distributed).

The average annual plan outlay for the forestry sector during the Eighth FYP was about Rs 8.16 billion (approx. US$ 240 million) whereas the estimated annual value of harvests (recorded and unrecorded) from the forests was worth Rs 300 billion during the same period, which is about 36 times more than the planned investment.

Table 13. A glimpse of budget allocation for forestry under the Five Year Plans, 1951-2002 (million RS) (GOI)

Plan/Year	Total Plan		Agriculture Plan		Forest and Wildlife Plan		Forest Outlay
	Outlay	Actual	Outlay	Actual	Outlay	Actual	(% of total)
First Plan (1951-1956)	23 780	19 600	3 540	2 900	76	85	0.32
Second Plan (1956-1961)	45 000	46 720	5 100	5 490	212	212	0.47
Third Plan (1961-1966)	75 000	8 577	10 860	10 890	458	459	0.61
Annual Plan (1966-1969)	66 250	66 225	10 370	11 070	419	421	0.63
Fourth Plan (1969-1974)	159 020	157 790	27 280	23 200	894	938	0.56
Fifth Plan (1974-1979)	393 220	394 260	47 660	48 650	2 088	2 088	0.53
Annual Plan (1979-1980)	126 010	121 760	18 150	19 960	683	683	0.54
Sixth Plan (1980-1985)	975 000	1 092920	125 390	152 010	6 924	NA	0.71
Seventh Plan (1985-1990)	1 800 000	2 187 300	222 330	315 090	18 519	19759	1.09
Annual Plan (1990-1991)	647 170	583 690	91 420	85 420	6 299	5 764	0.97
Annual Plan (1991-1992)	723 170	647 500	100 580	90 600	7 831	7 153	1.08
Eight Plan (1992-1997)	4 341 000	-	636 420	-	40 820	39 930	0.94
Ninth Plan (1997-2002)	-	-	-	-	68 228
Total up to 8^th FYP	9 374 620		1 299 100		85 295		0.90

Tables 14 and 15 provide information on the planned investments in forestry activities. Proposed investments have been estimated on the basis of the requirements of the sector irrespective of the source of funding.

Table 14. Summary of investment estimate for the country (State and Central Sectors) by programme (million Rs)

S. no.	Programme	First 5-year	Second 5-year	Third 5-year	Fourth 5-year	Total for 20 years
I.	Improve forest productivity	82252.3	100761.3	110349.0	119554.9	412917.5
II.	Expand forest area	88928.4	103634.0	1054812.4	113344.2	411719.0

Table 15. Summary of investment estimate for 20 years by programme (million Rs)

Programme	State Sector	Central Sector	Total	Area to be regenerated /planted (million ha)
Improve Forest Productivity	391479.9	21437.6	412917.5	26.43
Expand Forest Area	405605.5	6113.6	411719.1	21.80