New Delhi: The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has initiated a move to include all the Northeastern states under the Green India Mission (GIM). The Green India mission was launched by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for the restoration of degraded forests.
Under this mission, from 2015-16 to 2020-21, Rs 119.96 crore had been released in three northeastern states namely Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim. The fund was sanctioned to carry out afforestation activities over the 38072.20 ha area in the various identified landscape.
"The Mission is in the process of expanding its activities in other Northeastern states based on submission of annual plans of operation of the states and availability of funds," a senior official in the DoNER ministry told ETV Bharat. GIM monitors the progress of work through a comprehensive monitoring framework including on-ground self-monitoring by implementing agencies, field review by an external agency, and annual progress report.
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The GIM is one of the missions under the National Action Plan of Climate Change (NAPCC) launched in February 2014. Significantly, under the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for restoration of degraded forest out of Rs 40.42 crore released to states during the year 2020-21, Rs 13.87 core was released to northeastern States.
It may be mentioned here that with an aim for extensive afforestation, an area of 2.23 million hectares has been given as afforestation targets to all States and UTs out of which the States and UTs have reported 2.15 million hectares achievement till February this year. "Of the total national targets, the northeastern states were given a target of 45,784 hectares out of which 41,580 hectares have been achieved," the official said.
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Significantly, the North Eastern Council (NEC), the project implementation department in the northeast, takes up initiatives for conservation of rich biodiversity and ecological balance in the region, under the science and technology sector. The council is a nodal agency for the socio-economic development of the Northeast.
NEC has accorded approvals of Rs 6 crore for afforestation of denuded hills in the Champhai district of Mizoram and Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts of Manipur.
It may be mentioned here that a Parliamentary standing committee has also applauded the DoNER and MoEF ministry for taking initiatives to protect the existing forest and expand the forest cover. The committee further said that the DoNER ministry along with the line ministries must work in close consultation and coordination to implement various ongoing schemes and projects to preserve and protect the environment and forest.
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