Himachal Pradesh Forest Department

Brief note on various activities carried out under RVP & FPR schemes in the state

The Forest Department has been engaged in the rehabilitation of the catchments, right from the day of creation of the state through Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Externally Aided Projects or State Plan Schemes. Since, Soil erosion is a serious and constant menace because of hilly terrain, loose strata and steep slopes in Himachal Pradesh combined with heavy down pours of rainfall etc. Accordingly, effective steps are necessary for undertaking soil and water conservation measures on a large scale. The HP Forest Department has been carrying out soil and water conservation activities under Centrally Sponsored Schemes of River Valley Projects and Flood Prone Rivers (RVP & FPR) to prevent soil loss and conserve water and improve moisture regimes in the state; all type of lands viz., Agriculture, waste land and forest land are treated with suitable package of treatments viz construction of contour vegetative hedges, contour graded bunding, Horticulture Plantations, contour/staggered trenching, sowing and planting of plants, silvipasture development, Pasture development, afforestation , farm pond, percolation tank, drainage line treatment (Earthen loose boulders, Water harvesting structures, check bunds, WHS with spillways, sediment detention structures etc.,)

As per the survey carried out by the, All India Soil and Land Use Survey organization, 874 micro watersheds of very high and high category were identified in the state for treatment. The Forest Department has carried out the Soil and Water Conservation works under RVP & FPR schemes up to 2013-14, after which the scheme was discontinued due to merger of various centrally sponsored schemes by the GoI. Out of 874 micro watersheds of very high and high priority 333 Nos were treated under the scheme and 541 are yet to be treated.

OBJECTIVES

• Prevention of land degradation by adopting appropriate need based soil and watershed approach in and integrated manner in the inter-State catchments
• Improvement of Land capability and moisture regime in the watersheds
• Promotion of land use to match the land capability.
• Prevention of soil erosion and runoff, from the watershed with a view to prevent pre-mature siltation of multipurpose reservoirs and to reduce flood peaks & volumes of runoff.

The Govt. of India (Ministry of Agriculture) clubbed all the 27 Centrally Sponsored Schemes under Macro Management Mode w.e.f. 1.04.2000. The Department of Forest and Agriculture Jointly plans and implements these centrally sponsored schemes, with the Forest Department which acts as the Nodal Agency for RVP and FPR Scheme.

Physical and financial achievements of activities carried out during the period from 2000-01 to 2013-14 under RVP and FPR scheme is as under