Abstract:Forest resources constitute a major component of the natural-resource base of Chhattisgarh and have an important role in rural livelihoods, employment generation and local economic development. This paper examines the utilization of forest resources and their contribution to household economic development in Bilaspur Division, Chhattisgarh, from a geographical perspective. The paper is based on the framework of a Ph.D. study that combines secondary information with household-level primary data. The study considers the six districts forming the relevant 2020 administrative framework of Bilaspur Division—Bilaspur, Mungeli, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Raigarh and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi—and investigates differences in forest dependence, non-timber forest product (NTFP) collection, forest-based employment, household income, market access and livelihood diversification. The analysis shows that forest resources should be understood not simply as ecological assets but as productive assets within rural economies. Their economic significance is expressed through direct consumption, sale of NTFPs, seasonal employment, supplementary income and risk reduction during periods of agricultural uncertainty. At the same time, economic returns vary spatially according to resource availability, accessibility, market connectivity, household characteristics and institutional support. The paper argues that sustainable forest-based economic development requires value addition, better market access, improved storage and processing, community participation, women's involvement and effective implementation of government programmes. The geographical approach adopted in the study helps connect forest-resource availability with uneven livelihood opportunities across the study region.

Keywords: Forest resources; forest utilization; NTFPs; rural economy; household income; employment; livelihood diversification; Bilaspur Division; Chhattisgarh; geographical analysis.