Bhubaneswar, Nov. 5: The Orissa government is likely to request the Japan International Cooperation Agency for extension of the Orissa Forestry Sector Development Project by another two years.

The issue was discussed a review meeting chaired by forest and environment minister Debi Prasad Mishra here on Thursday.

The seven-year project, which aims at restoring degraded forests and augmenting the income of villagers involved in sustainable forest management, is being implemented with the assistance of the international cooperation agency.

The project, which started in 2006-07, is scheduled to end in 2012-13.

The minister directed the departmental authorities to pursue the matter with the government of India and the international cooperation agency.

Mishra expressed his satisfaction with the benefits accruing from the project to self-help groups that adopt a focused and planned cluster-based income generation approach under the scheme.

In the extension plan, 600 additional Vana Sarankhyan Samitties (VSS) and Eco-Development Committees (EDC) would be included, exceeding the project target of 2,275. The project will include 150 additional VSS/EDCs in the present project area and another 450 VSSs and EDCs in nine divisions outside the current project area.

Similarly, 5,800 self-help groups would be supported for income generation activities, which is also more than the original project target of 4,550.

The new proposal will also include an additional 43,000 hectares for restoration of degraded forests in the Jute Technology Mission mode.

The extended project will include some additional activities such as intensification of soil moisture conservation measures and strengthening of forestry training institutions.

The project is currently being implemented in 14 forest and wildlife divisions spread over in 10 districts, including Koraput and Kandhamal.