PWith an aim to strengthen and develop the Van Panchayats in the State, a one-day convention of Van Panchayats of Garhwal region would be organised at Srinagar Garhwal on November 20. The Forest Minister Dinesh Agarwal said this while addressing mediapersons here on Monday.
He said that about 400 members belonging to different districts of Garhwal division are expected to take part in the event which would be organised at Man Manthan auditorium of HNB Garhwal Central university campus. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat would be the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Agarwal said that the State Government has initiated a Chief Minister’s pasture development scheme in forests under the van panchayats in which animal husbandry would be promoted in the villages loacated near the Van Panchayats.
He said that the State Government has also started a Mahila Kisan Nursery scheme to empower women in rural areas. The State Government is providing a grant of `50,000 to the women self help group under the scheme.
The forest minister elaborated the various schemes of state government aimed to develop and strengthen Van Panchayats in the State. He said that the State Government is also determined to promote Eco-tourism by linking it with the forests of the State.
He accepted that the mindset of the forest officers of the state should be changed from blocking the forests to opening them for tourism while maintaining their security and identity.
The Minister said that the Government is committed to remove monkey menace and has decided undertake a sterilization programme to control their population. In reply to a question the minister said that he has asked the officers to locate the missing tigress of Rajaji National Park.
He said that best Van Panchayat of every forest division would be felicitated by the CM in the proposed convention. There are 12089 Van Panchayats in Uttarakhand out of which 6278 are in Garhwal division while 5844 are located in Kumaon. Every such body has one head and eight nominated members. In the State 5.65 lakh hectares of land is owned by these Panchayats.