Common Property Land Resources: Past Present and Perspectives (with Special Reference to Gujarat, India)

Abstract

"India is a populous (844 million) and energy poor (import of energy consumes the highest foreign exchange) country with a high foreign debt and adverse trade balance, agriculture based economy (GDP from agriculture about 50%) and adverse land/man ratio. Poverty is therefore, an expected consequence. Under such an environment, common property land resources (CPLR) are vitally important particularly for the rural poor who have to depend on them for meeting their every day forest-based subsistence needs which they can obtain just for the cost of harvesting. Since India is about 80% rural and about 50% of the poplation is poor, CPLR acquire a special significance from a national perspective. If right priorities for alleviating poverty are to be followed, development of CPLR should come first. Unfortunately, it did not receive any attention until very recently. Perhaps politicians, planners, administrators, sociologists, and economists are not aware of the role and potential of CPLR in social, economic, and cultural welfare of the rural communities. This conference is, therefore not a day too soon and I hope, would create the necessary awareness leading to concerted action."