Thiruvananthapuram, Tuesday, March 30, 2010: The Kerala State Forest Minister Binoy Viswam informed the state assembly today that the government has a proposal to start a Forest Academy on par with international standards in the state.

Replying to questions raised by Abdurahiman Randathani of the IUML and others, he said the Academy, would be set up as part of a project implemented by the Centre through the cooperation of Japanese International Co-operation Agency.

The Centre had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Japanese institution, he said that the government was planning to begin the work of the proposed academy within six months and was expecting it to be completed in five years.