Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday inaugurated the 76th state-level Van Mahotsav at Kanlog in Shimla by planting a deodar sapling.
He also launched the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana across all Assembly constituencies and interacted virtually with ministers and MLAs participating in the programme to discuss forest conservation and afforestation measures.
Highlighting the significance of Van Mahotsav, often called the Earth’s lifeline, the Chief Minister said around 9,000 hectares of forest land would be planted with trees this year under various schemes, with 60 percent of the saplings being fruit-bearing. He said the state government was committed to protecting and enriching Himachal’s biodiversity and aimed to achieve 30 percent forest cover by 2030.
The Chief Minister said that the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana would not only promote forest development but also enhance public participation and strengthen the rural economy.
“Under the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana, mahila mandals, yuvak mandals, self-help groups, and joint forest committees will plant and nurture saplings on one to five hectares of designated forest land for five years. A budget provision of Rs 100 crore has been made for the scheme,” he said, adding that this year, plantation drives are being carried out over 1,000 to 1,500 hectares at a cost of Rs 20 crore, with an additional Rs 1.2 lakh per hectare for maintenance.
Sukhu said the government was also promoting financial discipline under Vyavastha Parivartan and implementing reforms in the Forest Department, encouraging officers to devote more time to fieldwork than office routines.
He added that various schemes were being implemented to provide rural communities with self-employment opportunities near their homes, thereby strengthening livelihoods.
He pointed out that the state’s natural farming initiatives were gaining national recognition.
On the occasion, cheques for Rs 1 lakh each were given to mahila mandals for plantation activities under the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana, and cheques for Rs 50,000 each were distributed to beneficiaries under the JICA project for livelihood support.