Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Launches Van Samvardhan Yojana to Enhance Green Cover

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana, highlighting its importance for environmental conservation and community-led forest management. Alongside, he unveiled a green adoption scheme aimed at involving private enterprises, corporate houses, and NGOs in afforestation efforts as part of their social responsibility.

The Van Samvardhan Yojana focuses on enhancing green cover by planting fruit-bearing trees in barren and degraded forest areas. This initiative will also create jobs and income for local communities, with active participation from women and self-help groups, according to an official statement.

Green Adoption Scheme

Sukhu launched the green adoption scheme, which encourages companies to adopt barren forest land for afforestation. This initiative not only aids environmental protection but also allows companies to meet their corporate social responsibility goals. In the initial phase, Ambuja will plant trees on 25 hectares, while Adani Foundation and UltraTech will each adopt 10 hectares.

Certificates were awarded to two Mahila Mandals from Nadaun—Amlehad and Bhawdan—who will manage plantation activities on two hectares of forest land for five years. The chief minister also presented certificates to participating organisations as a formal acknowledgment of their contributions.

Van Mitra Yojana

Sukhu inspected the passing-out parade of newly appointed van mitras and interacted with them. He noted that the forest department faced staffing shortages, hindering forest protection efforts. To address this, van mitras were appointed based on merit, with many young women securing these roles.

The Van Mitra Yojana aims to provide employment for youth and extend forest department benefits to grassroots levels while promoting public awareness about forest conservation. Sukhu encouraged van mitras to engage with rural communities to spread awareness about the importance of forests.

Women Empowerment Initiatives

The state government is prioritising women's empowerment by increasing police recruitment reservations for women to 30%, especially in Lahaul-Spiti. Sukhu emphasised that the state's forest wealth is crucial for environmental conservation and significantly contributes to the economy and tourism.

During the event, Sukhu announced three new wellness centres under Hamirpur's Municipal Corporation. He also released a souvenir titled "Samvaad" dedicated to van mitras and launched a book called "The Mountainous Wilderness of Spiti." A new mobile app was introduced to track van mitras' attendance efficiently.

With inputs from PTI