Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of the review meeting chaired by the Chief Executive Officer & Project Director, Tripura JICA Project in his office chamber at Aranya Bhavan, Agartala on the 7th January, 2009.

A meeting was convened by the CEO and Project Director, Tripura JICA Project to review the progress of work of the Project Management Consultants ( the list of participants is appended) on the 7th January, 09 to discuss and finalize the following issues and the resolutions emerged in the meeting are mentioned below:

GIS
During discussion GIS Specialist highlighted the critical & pending issues relating to project area mapping that require immediate action. There was detailed discussion on restriction in use of Survey of India Topographical maps and ways and means to prepare of Project Area Maps in absence of such maps. The PMU requested the PMC members to elaborate the road map of alternative options/ methodologies available as inputs for GIS database creation.
The following decisions emerged in the meeting on the preparation of project area maps.
1. Review of Bids for Project Area Mapping: It was decided that Technical Committee would be analysing the bids on 8th Jan 2009 and would be deciding the next course of action.
2. Computer Hardware: The procurement of required desktop computers and server has been approved by PMU. It was decided to follow-up the matter and expedite the process.
3. Computer Software: The procurement of required software along with GIS software has been approved by PMU. It was decided to follow-up the matter and expedite the process.
4. Technical Staff from TSAC on deputation: The two Engineers/ Scientists from TSAC were assigned to the project on part-time basis from 7th Jan 2009 for imparting training to Forest officials. Since the requirement of the project is of two Engineers/ Scientists from TSAC on full-time basis to assist JICA project in creation of GIS database, therefore, this needs to be discussed and clarified to TSAC/Department of Science & Technology. PMU has decided to clarify again to TSAC about the actual requirement and the job description of the deputed staff from TSAC.

IGA
1. It was agreed that induction training of the newly appointed Livelihood Coordinators (40 in number) would be held at Prajna Bhavan from January 19 to 24, 2009.
2. The action plan for imparting training to the LCs was finalized.
3. The letters of invitation to identified resource persons would be prepared and dispatched on January 9, 2009.

Survey and Mapping
It was informed by the PMC that two Teams of the Surveyors from the Working Plan Division-I are likely to complete the survey work in North and Gomati Forest Divisions soon. But, the three Teams of the Surveyors from the Working Plan Division-II are yet to be deployed in the field for the survey and mapping work. One team went to the field for two days and then came back. The PMU has to take immediate action in this regard.

MIS
The PMC members explained the concerns for timely submission of MIS datasheets by all DMUs. Till date only one DMU (Kailasahar) has submitted the filled in MIS datasheets – it was submitted on 4th December, 2008. The datasheets are yet to come even after one and half months’ of agreed timeline for submission. PMU agreed to follow-up with all DMUs to send the MIS Datasheets immediate. It was informed that the Notification/ Advertisement for the recruitment of MIS Analyst has already been sent for insertion in the newspapers and it is likely to appear soon. MIS Analyst shall be engaged for updation of the MIS information among others.

NCE activities
On the subjects of formulation of State NTFP policy, modalities of assessment of bamboo resources, and entering into correspondence with prospective organisations identified for van mela etc, which Director, NCE desires from the PMC members were discussed but it was decided that the issue shall be discussed with the Director NCE. It was also decided that PMU shall take decision as to what all is expected from CTA and PMC members and whether there are resources for the new activities.

Status report on the Project
The Project Director/CEO requested the PMC members GC to prepare a status report on the Project activities for FY 2009-10. This would help in understanding the present status and further works required to be done. The PMC members based on the information available with the PMU would prepare a status report and share it with PMU. The process should start at JFMC level to discuss about the next year’s activities and then the RMU has to prepare its annual plan of operation based on the activities to be undertaken in different JFMCs and also other measures to be taken up at the RMU level. Once the DMU gets all the Plan of Operation from the RMUs it shall prepare the overall Annual Plan of Operation. A meeting of all Project Managers and Foresters/BOs needs to be organized at the DMU level to finalize the Annual Plan of Operation of the DMU for 2009-10 and also the Annual Status Report of the Project for 2008-9. The process shall be taken up during January – February 2009 so that the PMU could come up with its Annual Plan of Operation in March 2009.

The meeting was concluded thanking everybody present

Appendix