Model Rules for Felling Trees in Agricultural Lands

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued ‘Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands’, aiming to simplify regulatory procedures and promote agroforestry across States and Union Territories.

• Objectives include:
  • Enhancing rural livelihoods
  • Improving soil health
  • Conserving biodiversity
  • Increasing tree cover and water conservation
  • Boosting climate resilience
  • Reducing dependence on and pressure on natural forests

Streamlined Regulatory Framework

• The rules allow farmers to:
  1. Register agroforestry plantations via the upcoming National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal—capturing details like land ownership, species, plantation dates, GPS data, and periodic geotagged photo updates.
  2. Apply online for tree-felling permits on registered plantations through NTMS.
• Approved verification agencies will conduct field inspections, after which Divisional Forest Officers will issue permits and oversee compliance .

Ease of Doing Business & Economic Impact

• The rules support the “ease of doing business” by forest-based agribusinesses—especially for commercially valuable tree species—through simpler harvesting and transport regulations.
• A key goal is to bridge the domestic timber demand-supply gap, supporting local wood industries and potentially boosting exports

Role of State-Level Committees

• Implementation will be managed by State-Level Committees, constituted under the Wood-Based Industries (Establishment & Regulation) Guidelines, 2016.
• Their responsibilities include:
  • Providing guidance
  • Empanelling verification agencies
  • Overseeing the adoption and execution of the model rules in their jurisdictions

Call to Action for States & UTs

• The Ministry has urged all States and Union Territories to consider and adopt these model rules to:
  • Enable agroforestry uptake
  • Incentivize farmers
  • Avoid unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles

(Source: PIB)