Rs 364 cr budget for work on Aravalli, Shivalik landscapes gets nod

Chandigarh, April 10

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Steering Committee of Green India Mission which met under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal today approved Rs 364.60 crore annual plan of operations for recognised landscapes in the state. The planning and implementation of interventions under the National Afforestation Program (NAP) is designed on the basis of landscape. In the state, the recognised landscapes are Shivaliks, Plains and Aravalis.

The financial year 2023-2024 will be the second year of implementation of the Green India Mission.

Work under perspective plan

• The work to be carried out under the perspective plan for the recognised landscapes include eco-restoration, enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas, including institutional lands, agro-forestry and social forestry for increasing biomass and creating a carbon sink.
• It also includes soil and moisture conservation works in the moderately dense forest cover showing degradation.

Directing the officials, Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said synergy between different schemes of the Forest Department and funds under the Green India Mission should be maintained to achieve the targets of the annual plan. He said the quality of forest cover should be enhanced with improvements in ecosystem services.

A sum of Rs 182.95 crore has been approved for the Shivalik landscape comprising areas in districts Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Ambala, while Rs.143.26 crore has been sanctioned for the Plain landscape comprising Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Jind, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar and Kaithal districts. Similarly, Rs. 38.38 crore has been approved for the Aravalli landscape comprising districts Faridabad, Gurugram, Nuh, Mahendergarh, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Palwal and Rewari.