National Afforestation Programme launched in Sikkim

Gangtok, Jan 11 (ANI): With the Sikkim Government determined to increase afforestation, the state forest department has launched a roadmap of the National Afforestation Programme here.

Tourism Minister Bhim Dhungel said that it was essential to discuss afforestation and forest conservation at the village level for greater success of the programme in the state.

"Its accountability, the villagers were not aware of how much fund has been sanctioned for this, how much afforestation is essential, and what needs to be done in this regard," said Dhungel.

He further said thousands of people are participating in this mission, and the programme is reaping good results.

"The results are really good. The response is also good. All the six lakhs population participated in this state mission, Implementation of National Afforestation Programme. So I believe, at the state, ground and village level, we are getting good results," said Dhungel.

The Implementation of National Afforestation Programme (NAP) by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) comes as a major forestry programme of the Central Government in which afforestation and related activities would be implemented through public participation.

The afforestation programme aims at increasing forest cover and meeting the needs of the locals, especially in eco-sensitive and disaster-prone areas along with degraded or reserved forests. (ANI)