Externally Aided Projects (EAP)

Introduction

The Externally-Aided Projects Division deals with the approvals and monitoring of forestry-related projects which are aided by external agencies. These projects are being implemented in the States with assistance from external donors like the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank (WB), etc. At present, as many as 9 projects are being aided by JICA and 1 by the World Bank. Another 5 forestry projects are included for consideration under the Rolling Plan Financial Year 2009-11 by JICA/ French Development Agency (AFD). These projects are reimbursed their actual expenditure as per the loan agreements. The funds are utilized for rehabilitation of forest land with the aim to increase forest cover, improve the quality of life of the villagers adjoining forests, ensure people's participations, strengthening joint forest management institutions, augment availability of fuel wood and fodder, promote farm forestry, agro forestry, water and soil conservation measures, encourage tree growing on private land and greening of the urban areas in accordance to the objectives envisaged in various projects under implementation. At present ten States Sector Forestry Projects with an investment of about Rs. 5,287 Crores are being implemented in ten States and one Central Sector Project on Capacity Building in Forestry Sector with an outlay of Rs. 225 crores is being implemented in 10 States, the details of which are as follows:-

Details of ongoing projects under financial assistance from various funding agencies

S. No
Name of the Project
Implementing Agency/ State
Cost (in Rs. Crores)
Funding Agency
Objectives
Project Period
1.
Uttar Pradesh Participatory Forest Management and Poverty Alleviation Project
Uttar Pradesh
575
JICA
To restore degraded forests and improve livelihood and empower the local people who are dependent on forests by promoting sustainable forest management including JFM plantation and community development, thereby improving environment and alleviating poverty.
2008-09 To
2015-16
2.
Gujarat Forestry Development Project - Phase II
Gujarat
830
JICA
To restore degraded forests and improve livelihood for and empower the local people who are dependent on forests by promoting sustainable forest management including JFM plantation and community/ tribal development, thereby improving environment and alleviating poverty.
2007-08 To
2015-16
3.
Tripura Forest Environmental and Poverty Alleviation Project
Tripura
366
JICA
To restore degraded forests and improve the livelihoods aspects of villagers, including tribal families engaged in traditional shifting cultivation, and promoting sustainable forest management through JFM, thereby improving environment and alleviating poverty.
2007-08 To
2014-15
4.
Swan River Integrated Watershed Management Project
Himachal Pradesh
162
JICA
To regenerate the forests, protect the agricultural land, and enhance agricultural and forestry production in the catchment area of the Swan River, Himachal Pradesh State, by carrying out the integrated watershed management activities including afforestation, civil works for soil and river management, soil protection and land reclamation, and livelihood improvement activities, thereby improving living conditions of people including the poor in the catchment area.
2006-07 To
2013-14
5.
Orissa Forestry Sector Development Project
Orissa
660
JICA
To restore degraded forests and improve the income level of villagers by promoting sustainable forest management including JFM plantation and Community/tribal development, thereby improving environment and alleviating poverty.
2006-07 To
2012-13
6.
Karnataka Sustainable Forests Management & Bio-diversity Conservation
Karnataka
745
JICA
To restore forest to bring about ecological restoration and also to facilitate livelihood improvement of the inhabitants of the project villages by afforestation through Joint Forest Planning and Management (JFPM) in the State of Karnataka, which further contributes to reducing poverty and preserving biodiversity conservation of the area?
2005-06 To
2012-13
7.
Tamil Nadu Afforestation project phase-II
Tamil Nadu
567
JICA
To restored forests to bring about ecological restoration and also to facilitate livelihood improvement of the inhabitants of the project villages by afforestation through Joint Forest Management in the State of Tamil Nadu, which further contributes to reducing poverty in the area.
2005-06 To
2012-13
8.
Integrated Natural Resources Management and Poverty Reduction Project in Haryana
Haryana
286.01
JICA
A. To rehabilitate forest lands in an ecologically sustainable manner.
B. To improve the quality of life of the villagers and adjoining forests.
2004-05 To
2010-11
9.
Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Project
Rajasthan
442
JICA
To augment the availability of forest products like fuel wood, fodder ; To generate employment opportunities ; and To improve the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor through active participation by local communities.
2003-04 To
2007-08 (extended upto 31st July, 2010)
10.
Andhra Pradesh Community Forests Management Project
Andhra Pradesh
653.97
World Bank
Promote sustainable natural resource management with focus on policy and institutional reforms to sustain and improve the livelihoods of the rural poor.
2002-03 To
Sept. 2009 (extended upto 31st March, 2010)
11.
Capacity Development for Forest Management and Training of Personnel
DFE, Dehradun and 10 States (Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal)
225
JICA
To improve training environment for frontline staff through the rehabilitation of States Forests Training Institutes and through capacity building of frontline forestry staff putting emphasis on Joint Forests Management (JFM), thereby strengthening human resource development for sustainable forest management.
2008-09 To
2013-14 (5 years and 3 months)
 
Total
5512
 
Punjab Afforestation Project
Punjab
206.3
JICA
The Project aims to afforest and rehabilitate degraded forest areas to bridge the gap between demand and supply of the forest products, to reverse environmental degradation of hilly area of the state through active participation of the communities; increase the forest/ tree cover by planting on available waste and farm lands and improve the stocking and productivity of the forests.
1997-98 To
2006-07 (Project ended on 31st July, 2009)
 
Total
5718

 

Upcoming (in-the-pipeline) externally-aided forestry projects:

The forestry projects included for consideration under the Rolling Plan Financial Year 2009-10/ 2010-11 for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)/ French Development Agency (AFD) are:-

(i) Integrated Project for Sustainable Development of Forest Resources in Sikkim

(ii) Tamil Nadu Sustainable Natural Resources Management Project.

(iii) West Bengal Forest Project

(iv) Rajasthan Forestry and Bio-diversity Project Phase-II

v) Assam Project on Forest & Bio-diversity Conservation.

         Externally Aided Projects (EAP) Division assists the State Governments in preparation of externally aided forestry projects, negotiations with donor and funding agencies and monitoring and evaluation of the sanctioned projects. These forestry projects are aided by external agencies such as the World Bank, Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC), now Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Japan), French Development Agency (AFD), etc.

Following are the detailed functions of the Division:-

  • Assistance to States in indemnifying and formulating projects for external assistance.
  • Scrutiny of the projects for external assistance/internal clearance of Projects.
  • Co-ordination with Deptt. of Economic Affairs (DEA), Planning Commission. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and other Ministries.
  • Liaison with External donor agencies like JICA, AFD, DFID-UK, FAO, IFAD etc.
  • Processing of cases for clearances of foreign visiting missions, consultants of donor agencies.
  • Joint consultation with donor agencies.
  • Joint project appraisal and follow up action.
  • Finalization of projects for external aid by negotiations till signing of agreement.
  • Monitoring of on-going externally aided projects.
  • Half-yearly and mid-term review of projects.
  • Co-ordination with State Govts. other Central Ministries and donor agencies for resolving various issues arising from time to time.
  • Monitoring of aid/credit utilization.
  • Identification of relevant training courses/study tours abroad.
  • Inviting nomination for relevant training courses/study tours abroad.
  • Processing the cases for training abroad.
  • Participation in various News Letters from different Organization.
  • The division has also to look into matters relating to Forest International Cooperation (except for UNFF & APFC).
  • Reply to Parliamentary Questions and Assurances
  • North Eastern Cell (N.E.Cell) to deal with various issues pertaining to North Eastern States