Punjab witnesses increase in Forest area by 2872 Acres

Punjab witnesses increase in Forest area by 2872 Acres

18946 acres forest area cleared from illegal encroachment: Dharmsot

Harshabab Sidhu
Nabaz-e-Punjab, Mohali, January 4:
Forests, Social Justice, Empowerment & Minorities and Printing & Stationery Minister Sadhu Singh Dharmsot on Monday, said that the Punjab Government managed to clear the illegal encroachments at 18946 acres of forest area thereby resulting in an overall increase in the forest cover in the state by 2872 Acres.
The Minister, while addressing the press conference at Punjab Bhawan here, said that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh was firmly committed to promote greenery in the state and was taking appropriate and effective steps in this direction.
He said that during the year 2017-18 879 acres, 1688 acres in 2018-19, 13132 acres in 2019-20 while during the current year 2020-21 3247 acres of forest area has been cleared so far. The total area freed from illegal encroachments is 18946 acres.
Dharmsot applauded the efforts of the officers and employees of the forest department who in collaboration with the district administrations on the guidelines of the state government managed to clear the forest land from illegal encroachments.
Forest Minister Dharmsot said that the department has planted over 77 lakhs indigenous varieties of saplings in 12986 villages of the state and established 432 ‘Nanak Bagichis’ with the cooperation of public to mark the 550th Parkash Purab of the First Sikh Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He said that similarly to commemorate the 400th Birth Anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji 60 lakh saplings planted in the state.
He said that during the regime of present Captain government saplings were planted under the `Puncampa’ scheme over the lands measuring 34988 acres besides providing subsidies to the 1292 farmers of Kandi areas worth Rs. 8.29 Crore for fencing work, therefore enabling them to protect their crops from the wild animals. Similarly, in the last four years under the agroforestry scheme, a subsidy of Rs. 10 Crore over 115.96 Lakh saplings has been transferred in the Aadhar linked bank accounts of 10204 farmers.
Dharmsot said that under the `Ghar Ghar Hariyali’ scheme started in the year 2018-19; people have received as many as One crore saplings free of cost from the department’s nurseries of which 41.5 Lakh plants were distributed through the `I-Haryali’ app. Further, in the year 2020-21 under Puncampa and Green Punjab Mission Scheme, plantation of over 4897 hectares of land were carried out adding he said that during the same period the benefit of agroforestry scheme was extended to 1185 farmers with plantation of 14.37 Lakh saplings over the 1783 hectares of land, whereas a total of 9.97 Lakh plants were distributed under `Ghar Ghar Hariyali’ scheme.
He said that Beas, Keshopur, and Nangal wetlands were announced as international-level RAMSAR sites besides the induction of ChhatBir zoo as a member of the World Association of Zoo & Aquariums.
The Minister pointed out that the Punjab Government notified its own new Dr. B.R. Ambedkar SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme on October 27, 2020, which had been applicable from the academic session 2020-21. The benefit of this scheme would be given to those candidates of Scheduled Castes, who passed matriculation from Punjab State and Chandigarh. Under this scheme the income limit (both of mother-father) had been enhanced from Rs. 2.50 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh. The ambit of benefit under the scheme had also been expanded to Central and State level institutes of higher education of Punjab and Chandigarh.
The Minister said that the State Government was running three schemes in collaboration with the Union Government to extend benefit to students of minorities. These schemes are pre-matric scholarship scheme, post-matric scholarship scheme and merit-cum-means based scholarship, said the Minister adding that during 2020 benefit to the tune of Rs. 76.14 crore were extended to 4,68, 622 under pre-matric scholarship scheme while under post matric scholarship scheme 56664 students got benefit of Rs. 30.18 crore whereas under merit-cum-means based scholarship scheme as many as 2404 students received scholarships worth Rs. 6.45 crore through DBT mode.
Dharmsot stated that during the New Year 2021, the department has sent a proposal to the finance department to waive off loans up to Rs. Two Lakh belonging to SC/BC youths adding another plan was under consideration to increase financial aid to the daughters of the economically weaker section under Ashirwad scheme to Rs. 51,000 from the existing amount of Rs. 21,000.
He said to enhance the efficiency of the government printing press, the department has also sent a proposal to the finance department for installation of modern technology machines