Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology
and the Environment
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Call for Papers |
British High Commission
New Delhi
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National Workshop on NTFP Taxation Policies and Management
New Delhi, 20-21 November 2006
Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) are critical to livelihoods of forest dependent communities in India. They are also a mainstay for a large number of small to large-scale enterprises engaged in processing and/or trading of NTFP-based value added products (especially in food, medicine, aromatics and pharmaceutical sectors). On one hand the resources allocated for research and development (R&D) efforts aimed at making NTFP harvesting/processing sustainable are minimal (and declining); on the other hand, NTFPs and products derived from it are taxed heavily right from the stage of collection. Very little of the revenue from taxation of NTFPs and/or NTFP-based products gets ploughed back into programs that can enhance the productivity and sustainability of NTFP resources (and post-harvest value addition) to, inturn, enhance the well being of forest-dependent communities. Cess has been widely used as a mechanism to generate resources for pre-defined purposes. There is a possibility and need to develop a similar resource generation mechanism for NTFPs. However, it needs an analysis of several key economic, institutional and governance issues. The proposed national workshop will primarily focus on these issues.
Papers are invited for the following themes: i) Current scenario of NTFP taxation policies and practices in India, ii) Current level of revenue generation from economically significant NTFPs, iii) Current level of R&D investments on NTFPs, iv) R&D needs of the NTFP sector in India, v) Analysis of current cess mechanisms --the Agriculture Produce Cess Fund and Highway Development Cess, vi) Feasibility of an R&D Cess on NTFPs, vii) Setting up priorities for sustainability of NTFPs, and institutional and regulatory needs for utilization of a potential NTFP Cess Fund.
Abstracts of papers not exceeding 350 words should reach ATREE by 30th September 2006. Authors of the selected papers will be invited to participate in the workshop and ATREE will bear their travel expenses, boarding and lodging at the workshop venue. For abstract submission and further details write to:
Coordinator, NTFP Workshop, ATREE House, 431-432/D-22, Chhattarpur Hill, New Delhi 110074
Ph: +91-11- 26301044; Fax: +91-11-26301016; Email: yogesh@atree.org Website: www.atree.org
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