Badal calls for efforts to make green mission a success

Finalising modalities of 'Greening Mission Fund' which aims at increasing state's forest cover to 15 per cent from existing 7 per cent, Badal today asked authorities to mobilise resources for the ambitious project, an official release said.

In the review meeting held today, Financial Commissioner (Forests) D S Bains said Rs 1,926 crore will be required for planting 40 crore trees over next 8 years, it said.

The annual expenditure for the programme is likely to be Rs 240 crore, of which Rs 80 crore will be funded from the state plan schemes or the State Compensatory Afforestation Fund of the forest department, he said.

 

This will put an additional burden of Rs 160 crore every year on state's budget, he said.

A sum of Rs 130 crore has been provided during the current fiscal to enhance the capacity of existing nurseries, besides setting up new nurseries and training of staff, Bains added, asking the officers to provide the list of vacant land for the purpose.

On the occasion, Principal Secretary (Finance) Satish Chandra said NABARD had also sanctioned a loan of Rs 30 crore for the current fiscal for this programme.

Punjab claims to be the first state to launch such an afforestation programme and set up dedicated fund for the same.