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Journalism of Courage
NAGPUR, SEPT 18: The Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra FDCM will demand restoration of its share of funds from the taxes collected by the State Government on sale of forest produce, FDCM Chairman Prakash Jadhav announced today.
Jadhav, who took over as the chairman recently, told a press conference that the issue would be taken up with the government. The FDCM was getting its share till 1996 along with the Forest Department and Social Forestry Department from the tax on sale of forest produce, amounting to Rs 12 to Rs 14 crore. Jadhav will plead FDCM8217;s case for the restoration of its share.
The FDCM, with an annual turn over of Rs 80 crore and bearing the burden of paying Rs 25 crore as salary and wages of 2,200 strong staff and 20,000 labour force, is facing a serious crunch. The workers, who were employed for short duration schemes, are now demanding their services should be regularised. The FDCM is finding it difficult to concede the demand, he said.
Discussing his plans to improve the FDCM8217;s financial situation, Jadhav said it is toying with the idea of marketing the bamboo-art items prepared by rural and tribal artisans to raise resources.
The FDCM is managing about five lakh hectares of land, with a forest produce worth over Rs 1,000 crore. It has also developed a series of nurseries and set up a modern laboratory in the city to check the quality of seeds, he added.
