What happened: MoEFCC liberalised rules for agroforestry timber transit and digitised permits through NTPS
MoEFCC has emphasized that tree felling and issuance of transit permits for timber grown under agroforestry are governed through legal regulation by State Governments, with State-specific procedures for permits and documentation. To support agroforestry expansion, MoEFCC has issued guidelines and advisories to States and Union Territories for liberalising transit and felling regulations. MoEFCC also promoted digitisation of forest-produce movement by launching the National Transit Pass System (NTPS) in December 2023, a pan-India online platform for transit permits for timber, bamboo, and other forest produce.
National Transit Pass System (NTPS): online, cross-border digitisation
The National Transit Pass System (NTPS) is described as a pan-India, online system launched in December 2023 to streamline and digitise issuance of transit permits for forest produce. MoEFCC states that NTPS supports seamless movement of forest produce across State and Union Territory borders through one digital platform, and it is intended to reduce procedural delays while improving transparency, efficiency, and traceability. NTPS enables online issuance of transit passes and No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
MoEFCC reported coverage as of the release communication as follows: - 4,36,258 Transit Passes issued throughout the country, including Tamil Nadu.