JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir State Forest Corporation (JKSFC) has earned an amount of Rs 97.95 Crore on sale of 18.56 lakh cubic feet timber during the current financial year till ending December.
This information was given at a meeting of the Committee on Public Undertakings of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly held here on Wednesday, according to an official spokesperson.
The meeting was held to discuss and examine the 2006-07 CAG report audit paras pertaining to the corporation and its functioning.
MLA Mohammad Sharief Niaz chaired the meeting and asked the SFC authorities to ensure availability of timber in all sale outlets.
Legislators, Abdul Gaffar Sofi, Javeed Ahmad Dar, Peer Aafaq Ahmad, Syed Basharat Ahmad Bukhari, Sukhnandan, Rachpal Singh, Jugal Kishore, Shafi Ahmad Wani, Indu Pawar, GN Monga and Ali Mohammad Dar attended the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions to make the corporation a profitable and progressive venture.
The panel asked the government to ensure availability of timber as per the requirement of each area in the state. It also recommended for providing quality timber at all sale outlets of the forest and JKSFC Depots. Threadbare discussion was held on Audit Para- Extraction of Timber and the Committee sought detailed report in this regard.
Detailed discussion was also held on the unsold timber laying in the sale depots of the state. The Committee directed the JKSFC authorities to furnish a detailed report about it along with the statement of how many times timber auction was held and losses caused due to the rotting of timber, if any.
The Managing Director, JKSFC Lalit Kumar Sharma briefed the Committee about the Audit Paras and achievements registered by the Corporation.
Among others, Secretary Assembly M Ramzan, Secretary Forest Mohammad Afzal and other officers of Forest, JKSFC and Assembly Secretariat attended the meeting.

Reader correspondent