Decentrilised Forest Governance and its Functioning in Orissa, India

Abstract

"Decentrilisation and devolution have been a major policy theme in Common Property Resources (including forest) governance in developing countries over last few. Participatory Forest Management has become one of the key objectives of forest policies and programmes in India including in the state of Orissa since late 1980s. Simultaneously efforts by local communities, which have evolved since early 1960s in different areas, have resulted into evolution and development of self initiated forest protection groups in the state. These groups have grown and matured into viable institutions with self governance and they have been protecting and conserving forest of their own. There is provision for incentives for the members which influence them for effective participation in the protection and development of this natural resource. However the present status of decentralisation of forest governance has a number of problems including exclusion of marginalised groups including women in decision making process and in the distribution of benefits. The nature of decentralisations of forest governance is analysed by using three contextual components, namely, access to resource, rules designed to govern it and the characteristics of the community and its involvement. Successful decentralised governance creates opportunities for agents for effective participation in decision making that reduces transaction cost of monitoring the behaviour of agents. It also provides incentives for hard work for safeguarding and development of resources. Based on historical evidences, secondary sources of materials and authors’ own findings this paper tries to understand the nature of forest governance in general and in the context of Orissa in particular with a view to understand its functioning. It also studies the implications in regard to the access to benefits accruing to the primary stakeholders and its impact on management and conservation of forest."