Question

The following statement is not a drawback or limitation of National Forest Policy, 1894. Choose the correct answer from the following options:

• A. No specific provisions for management of wildlife.
• B. The policy emphasis on permanent cultivation rather than shifting cultivation
• C. No guidelines for research and training in forestry
• D. This facilitates easy diversion of forest lands for non forestry purposes

Hint:

The 1894 policy treated forests primarily as revenue sources and handmaidens to agriculture. Curbing shifting cultivation was a progressive silvicultural goal, not a drawback.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The National Forest Policy of 1894 was the first formal forest policy in India. While it provided basic guidelines for state forestry, it had several limitations reflecting its colonial-era priorities.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The standard drawbacks and limitations of the 1894 Policy include:
- No specific provisions for wildlife conservation (A).
- No proper guidelines for professional research and training (C).
- It prioritized agriculture over forestry, stating that forests should be sacrificed for permanent agricultural expansion, leading to easy diversion of forest lands (D).
- In contrast, encouraging permanent cultivation rather than shifting cultivation (B) was a deliberate management objective intended to curb the ecologically destructive practice of jhum/shifting cultivation, which is considered a positive management objective rather than a policy drawback or oversight.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The emphasis on permanent cultivation to replace shifting cultivation is not a drawback of the 1894 policy.