National Action Plan on Forest Fires

Subject: Environment

Context:

Kerala Forest Department has been given time by NGT to submit report on the steps taken to prevent forest fires and implement the National Action Plan on Forest Fire in the State.

Concept:

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate change has prepared a National Action Plan on forest fires in 2018 after several rounds of consultation with all states and Union Territories.
• The objective of this plan is to minimize forest fires by informing, enabling and empowering forest fringe communities and incentivizing them to work in tandem with the State Forest Departments.
• The plan also intends to substantially reduce the vulnerability of forests across diverse forest ecosystems in the country against fire hazards, enhance capabilities of forest personnel and institutions in fighting fires and swift recovery subsequent to fire incidents.
• While forests are managed by states concerned, the ministry provides forest fire prevention and management measures under the Centrally Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management scheme and also the Centre provides funds for forest fire management.

Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM)

• The FPM is the only centrally funded program specifically dedicated to assist the states in dealing with forest fires.
• The FPM replaced the Intensification of Forest Management Scheme (IFMS) in December 2017
• By revamping the IFMS, the FPM has increased the amount dedicated for forest fire work
• Funds are allocated under the FPM in 90:10 ratio of central to state funding in the Northeast and Western Himalayan regions and a 60:40 ratio for all other states.