India has introduced a “One Nation \/ One Pass” National Transit Pass System, allowing for the seamless transit of timber, bamboo and forest products across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move is part of a “Wood Is Good: Grow More, Use More” initiative – with India looking to boost its domestic capacity for forest products<\/a> and provide “a unified online model for tree growers and farmers involved in agroforestry across the country,” according to Indian Environmental Secretary, Leenda Nandan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It comes as the Modi government launched a new “national” forest certification scheme last week<\/a>, in a move that will “shake up the private forest certification model” dominated by PEFC and FSC – critical to connect the country’s 146 million smallholders into global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n India is the world’s largest consumer of wood for residential construction, and according to the Indian Centre for Science and Environment<\/em><\/a>, demand for timber stands at 63 million cubic metres \u2013 with 30 million cubic metres coming from domestic production and 33 million cubic metres from imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n