Report of the Fuelwood Study Committee

Abstract

The Sixth Five Year Plan has outlined a detailed strategy for self-reliance in the energy sector. Emphasis has been given to harnessing renewable source of energy like bio-mass and bio-gas, especially to meet the energy requirements of rural communities. Fuelwood occupies a predominent place as an energy source in rural India. As against the calculated requirement of about 133 million tonnes of fuelwood per annum, all the present and projected plans will help to produce only about 39 million tonnes. The gap between need and supply is hence likely to be of the order of 250. Thus, the situation is truly alarming. Because of scarcity of fuelwood considerable quantities of animal dung and agricultural residues are also burnt as fuel which otherwise could have been meaningfully used in restoring soil fertility and increasing food production. If the present trend continues, the fuel required to cook the food rather than food to cook may pose the greater challenge.