Assam CM asks officials to involve more people for planting 10 mn saplings

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state government's one crore Amrit Brikshya Andolan (tree plantation movement) has received a good response from the people and the government has decided to involve more and more people so that it can exceed the set target on a single day.

The large-scale plantation drive will take place on September 17.

The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing at the conference hall of Assam House in New Delhi on Tuesday evening to ensure that more and more people get involved in the massive plantation drive.

Sarma said that more than 46 lakh applications have been received in the app created for the purpose.

The Chief Minister said he desired that people plant more than two saplings to extend the green cover in the state.

Those who register themselves with the 'Amrit Brikshya Andolan' app/portal and upload geo-tagged photographs of them planting the saplings would be credited with an amount of Rs 100 directly in their bank accounts. If the sapling planted on September 17 manages to survive three years, the concerned individual would be rewarded with an additional Rs 200.

Next year, the Chief Minister said, the state aims to plant three crore commercially-viable saplings while in 2025, the aim would be to plant 5 crore saplings.

Also, the chief minister directed the deputy commissioners through video conferencing from the conference hall of Assam House here on Tuesday to ensure that more and more people get involved in the massive plantation drive, a state government release said Tuesday.

As per the release, he said that more than 46 lakh applications have been received in the application created for the purpose. The chief minister said he desired that people plant more than two saplings to extend the green cover in the state.

Also, he instructed the Deputy Commissioners to hold programmes in schools and institutions the moment Chandrayaan-3 lands on the moon later today.

He asked them to make arrangements through the installation of giant screens and TV sets for displaying the historic moment.

The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to conduct an essay competition following the successful moon mission.

Sarma directed the Deputy Commissioners to create sub-districts following the delimitation by the Election Commission of India.

Later briefing media persons, the Chief Minister said that on Friday the 100th Cabinet meeting will be held in Guwahati and after that, the government will come up with a report card about all the decisions taken and the actions taken by the government insofar as their implementation are concerned.

The Chief Minister exuded optimism that the ongoing talks with the pro-talks faction of the ULFA are going on in the right direction and said one of the demands of the outfit for the protection of the identity of indigenous people has been fulfilled following the demarcation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the wake of the delimitation exercise.

Sarma did not specify any date for the finalisation of the peace agreement with the pro-talks faction of the ULFA.

On the possibility of bringing the ULFA (I) led by Paresh Baruah to the negotiation table, the Chief Minister hoped that a day will dawn sooner or later when they would pick up the olive branch extended by the government.