The Central Government has approved 20,716 hectares of land for afforestation drive in Chhattisgarh during the current financial year under ‘Green India Mission’.
The funds released by the Centre for the afforestation programme amounts to Rs17.39 crores during the current financial year, officials informed. During the last financial year, the Centre had approved the same quantum of land ( 20,716 hectares) for afforestation with fund allocation of Rs23.39 crores.
The students, officials and employees of various universities, colleges will also plant one lakh saplings in the current year as a part of the 'Hariyar Chhattisgarh Mission', officials informed.
The Higher Education Department officials said that as per the wishes and directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh, the target is to carry out plantations in all the universities and colleges in the current academic session.
A circular had been issued to all the Vice-Chancellors of universities and Principals of various colleges.
A minimum of 500 saplings have to be planted in each educational institution under the 'Hariyar Chhattisgarh Mission'.
The State Government has planted around 61,83,000 saplings at an expenditure of Rs13.73 crore, officials stated.
A total of 35,55,000 saplings were prepared with a budget of Rs5.58 crore at the nursery level.
Panchayat and Rural Development Department officials said 5,183 activities are sanctioned for planting saplings on the roadsides under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The Government has fixed a budget of over Rs111 crore for planting 10 lakh saplings under the plan.
Similar targets have been made at the nursery and block plantation levels.
As many as 8.25 crore saplings have been planted under the campaign till September last year. It is around 85,000 more than the target of the Forest Department, officials stated.
Notably, Chief Minister Raman Singh had urged each citizen to plant atleast four saplings in the ongoing greening exercise. It sums up to planting 10 crore saplings by the present population of 2.5 crore across the State.
Singh has given different target to every Government departments. The maximum aim of planting 40 crore saplings was set for the Forest Department.