Haryana to plant 4.5 crore saplings

Chandigarh, June 10 (UNI) The Haryana Forests Department will distribute 4.5 crore saplings in the state this year.

Of these, 1.75 crore saplings will be planted on community land and in forests while the remaining 2.75 crore will be distributed free of cost to the people in the state, Haryana Minister of State for Forests Kiran Choudhry said today.

A sum of Rs 96 crore has been earmarked for this purpose, she said.

She maintained that efforts would be made to persuade people to plant these saplings on their land for increasing the green cover in the state.

She said the department had grown saplings in various nurseries all over the state. Sufficient quantity of saplings were available in each district.

The area under forests in the state would be increased from 6.6 per cent to 10 per cent by 2010.

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