An amount of Rs One thousand 49 crore 24 lakh had been spent on forest development and allied activities. Many projects had also been undertaken to improve the socio-economic conditions of the forest-dwellers, said Forest Minister Mahesh Gaagda.
Afforestation had been carried out on 26,505 hectare land and precious saplings had been planted on 23,000 hectare land area. CAMPA Funds is being utilized for the betterment of lives of those living in the vicinity of the forests. Solar Sujla Yojana backed irrigation pumps are helping the farmers, domestic cooking gas connections under the Prime Minister 'Ujjwala' project, distribution of blankets to the Most Backward Castes has transformed scenario of the forests and the inhabitants in the forests dramatically..
Gaagda revealed that 3 lakh 90 thousand poor women had been provided with domestic cooking gas connections under the Prime Minister 'Ujjwala' scheme. He said that Chhattisgarh State had obtained an amount of Rs 1293 crore from the Centre under the CAMPA Fund category. CAMPA Fund had been formed to repair the damage done by excavation of minerals on the orders of the Apex Court.
Gaagda said that saplings will be planted on four thousand hectare land area this year. Keeping environment in focus precious species of tress had been planted on 22,911 hectare land area.
He said that 1800 sentinels had been recruited to protect forests from fires. There are dangers of forest fires from February 15 toJune 14. The experiment of appointing sentinels had been successful in curbing forest fires.
The Forest Minister said that steps are being undertaken to conserve about to extinct plants and conserve them. an amount of Rs32 lakh had been spent on planting Haldu, Mundi, Beeja, Saal, Sheesham, Kullu, Saliha and other species. Oxy-Forest Zones are being created on 1186 hectares of land from the CAMPA Funds of Rs 20 crore in various cities and towns. City Forests are being created in-Korba, Bilaspur, Balod, Surguja and Koriya- with an investment of Rs 3 crore 27 lakh. The farmers had been supplied with electricity with an additional investment of Rs34 crore 70 lakh.
Two blankets per family had been given to the citizens living in remote parts of State. One lakh 12 thousand blankets had been distributed till date.