Itanagar, Mar 9(UNI) Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to raise royalty on timber and non-timber forest produces to eight per cent from next fiscal, Water Resource Department Minister Tako Dabi said here today.

In a press conference here, he said the notification to this effect would be issued soon and the new rate would come into effect from April 1. The state cabinet in its meeting, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Gegong Apang here yesterday, took this decision with the aim to generate an expected revenue of Rs 1.1 crore from forest produces in the coming financial year, he added.

He further stated that the cabinet has decided to ban collection of firewood by Army and Border Roads Organisation(BRO) barring the local indigenous people, who were solely dependent on forest for their livelihood. Moreover, the state government would also restore these destroyed forests. The cabinet also approved modifications in the qualification requirement of forester from the existing one. As per the modification, Arunachalee candidates, who have passed class XII exam from any stream, would be eligible for the post. However, for non-Arunachalee candidates, graduation from any stream is a pre requisite, he said.

UNI