Chief Secretary Shailendra Kumar Joshi today directed the officials concerned to prepare proposals to get Rs 595 crore CAMPA funds from the Centre for this financial year.
As the head of CAMPA Committee, Joshi chaired a fourth high level meeting with officials at Secretariat here. The Chief Secretary discussed in detail on issues pertaining to greenery expansion, forest protection and use of CAMPA (Compensatory Afforrestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) funds and the works taken up so far during last year and future plan for next fiscal. The officials were instructed to accord priority for expansion of greenery and grow forest cover at lands and area falls under Kaleshwaram project.
The Chief Secretary instructed the officials to prepare a plan to get the CAMPA funds from the Centre. He said last year the Forest department has spent Rs 137 crore on works using CAMPA funds against Rs 125 cr sanctioned. The meeting has taken several decisions to urge the Centre, including to get Rs 595 cr funds, urge R 150 cr to increase Forest cover in Kaleshwaram area, Rs 220 cr additional funds for forest protection and ask Rs 225 cr to take forest cover expansion.
Joshi asked the officials to focus on assorted saplings for plantation based on environmental and weather conditions for longevity with needed steps. Tree cutting has another reason as people living near forests are dependants of wood for living. To avoid this, take steps to provide gas connections to those people under Pradhan Manthri Ujjwala Yojana scheme, he directed. Joshi also asked them to conduct a joint study with Jayashankar University on projects, bio diversity in forest and expansion of greenery. (NSS