Bhubaneswar, 27th November, 2013: The Forest and Environment Department will implement an ambitious scheme for increasing the green cover in Odisha. This scheme will be implemented over a period of four years from 2013 – 14 to 2016 – 17.
The total outlay of the Scheme is Rs. 1763.52 crore out of which an amount of Rs. 438.20 crore will be provided under the State Plan of the Forest & Environment Department and remaining amount of Rs. 1325.32 crore will be mobilised through convergence over other schemes like Finance Commission Grants, CAMPA, MGNREGS and various Central Plan Schemes.
During the current year, a budget provision of Rs. 85.40 crore have been provided in the Forest and Environment Dept Budget. 7.65 crore saplings have already been planted under various schemes during the current year.
The scheme will be implemented in a mission mode under the name “Sabuja Odisha Mission” through the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Forest Dept. The new scheme envisages a target of block plantation over 1.60 lakh hectare, rehabilitation of degraded forest with gap plantation over an area of 1.90 lakh hectare. Avenue plantation of 19,000 row km and plantation of 57 lakh saplings in various urban areas is also part of this scheme.
The various schemes of the plantation include Bamboo plantation, Urban plantation, Avenue plantation, Economic plantation, Bald hill plantation, development of Medicinal Plant Centre, Patrapada, setting up permanent nurseries, Agro-forestry, preservation of sacred groves and popularisation of fuel efficient chullas to reduce the consumption of firewood.
Rehabilitation of degraded forests through 5000 Vana Surakshya Samities will also be taken up under the Sabuja Odisha Mission as a subscheme. As mentioned earlier, 7.65 crore seedlings have already been planted under various schemes during current financial year and the target for the financial year 2014 -15 has been kept it 12.05 crore seedlings. Forest Dept has initiated preparatory activities for achieving the target of more than 12 crore seedlings for the next financial year.