SRINAGAR, February 10, 2026 — Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment, Javed Ahmed Rana, informed the Legislative Assembly today that the Jammu and Kashmir government is maintaining a robust and well-coordinated supply chain to ensure timber is readily available for eligible beneficiaries across the Union Territory. Responding to a query by MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, the Minister emphasized that the Jammu & Kashmir Forest Development Corporation (JKFDC) and the various wings of the Forest Department are working in tandem to streamline timber extraction and distribution. He highlighted that under the current government policy, timber is provided at concessional rates to various categories, including APL, BPL, PHH, and NPH, with a significant 50 percent discount specifically reserved for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries.
To support his statement, the Minister provided a detailed breakdown of distribution figures, noting a consistent effort to meet regional demands. In the Jammu division, over 5.12 lakh cubic feet of timber has already been distributed in the 2025–26 cycle to 3,305 beneficiaries, following substantial distributions in the preceding two years. Meanwhile, the Kashmir division has seen an upward trend in supply, with 258,670 cubic feet distributed to 3,145 beneficiaries so far in 2025–26. Rana further clarified that the Territorial Wing has supplied 7,51,950 cft of timber as of January 2026, while the JKFDC has facilitated the sale of over 15.6 lakh cft through its 211 Central Timber Sale Depots (CTSDs), with more than 6.22 lakh cft currently in stock for future needs.
Addressing the protocol for seized timber and local construction needs, the Minister explained that permissions for felling trees are granted to residents living near forest areas under specific Jammu and Kashmir Forest Notices. Regarding illegal timber, he assured the House that any seized material is disposed of through the JKFDC only after the completion of legal confiscation proceedings under Section 52 of the Indian Forest Act. The session also saw supplementary inquiries from legislators Irshad Rasool Kar and Altaf Ahmad Wani, further underscoring the assembly’s focus on transparent forest resource management.
