Department shall scale up Afforestation programme in J&K: Director, Social Forestry

KUPWARA : The Director, Social Forestry, J&K, Roshan Jaggi, today said that the department shall plant almost three times more plants as compared to last year in Village Panchayats with the cooperation and support of PRIs to scale up its afforestation programme.

The Director said this during his tour to Kupwara, and added that the Department has constituted Panchayat level Plantation Committees in all 4289 Panchayats to seek cooperation and involvement of local people in identification of lands, plantation activities and its future management.

The interim benefits like grasses, fodder, fuelwood are given free of cost to villagers and on harvesting of mature plantations, 75 percent of the revenue is transferred to Village Panchayat Fund, which is used for developmental works and raising of new plantations as per decisions of VPPC.

He said this has encouraged the Village Panchayats to offer their vacant lands to raise plantation assets with the assistance of the Social Forestry Department.

Meanwhile, it was informed that various members of DDCs, Sarapanchs, Panchs and BDCs have been attending an interaction programme of the department launched with an aim to elicit the cooperation and assistance of people through PRI representatives in various districts.

It was further informed that in Kashmir province, the Social Forestry Department will plant up 10.70 lakh plants during the ensuing winter season and 1.30 lakh plants shall be distributed amongst Farmers, Schools, other Institutions, Army/ Paramilitary forces as part of Green J&K Drive.

The Director, Social Forestry has made a fervent appeal to farmers and other stakeholders to actively participate and take advantage of this initiative of the department.