Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Ch. Lal Singh today chaired the 67th Board of Directors Meeting of State Forest Corporation (SFC) at Van Bhavan Jammu.Minister of State for Forests and Vice-Chairman of the Corporation, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Legislatures and Directors of the Corporation Dina Nath Bhagat and Yasir Reshi, MLA Ravinder Raina, Commission Secretary Forests Sourav Bhagat, Principal Chief Conservator Ravi Keasar and Managing Director SFC, S.K Gupta along with senior officers of the concerned department were present in the meeting.The Minister took review of physical and financial achievements of the corporation for the last four years. He also reviewed the progress on various projects and issues pertaining to the development of the Corporation in the meeting. The Minister emphasized on proper utilization of human resource for increasing the overall production, which in turn would boost the sale of Timber.Minister was informed that Corporation has shown growth in physical achievement by extracting 39 lakh cft timber in 2017-18 against 37.40 lakh cft timber in 2016-17. He was informed that SFC has sold 18.75 lakh cft in auctions and 10.10 lakh cft of timber through concessional sale depots till end of December 2017, adding that, till the end of financial year SFC will meet the sales target of 45 lakh cft.
While expressing satisfaction on the working of SFC, the Minister enjoined upon the management to re-double their efforts towards making the Corporation more profitable. He also approved the diversification activities to be initiated by the SFC for generating additional revenue to improve the financial health of the corporation. The Minister, while speaking, asserted that serious efforts are being initiated to preserve ecology and environment of the state. “Government has prioritized the protection and preservation plan of forests and wildlife by taking up systematic demarcation of forest and wildlife land across the State” he added. Minister further said that directions have already been issued to the officials of the department that there shouldn’t be any compromise on the protection of wildlife, environment and ecology of the State.