Haryana CM Launches ‘Van Mitra’ Scheme To Encourage Participation In Tree Planting

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday (February 15) launched the ‘Van Mitra’ scheme and its portal to encourage community participation in tree planting activities in non-forest areas. The members of families with an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh can register to become ‘Van Mitras’. CM Khattar said that the objective of this scheme is to directly involve the local public in increasing forest areas across the state, ensuring an increase in the survival rate of afforestation, and promoting tree planting in non-forest areas.

Also Read: Meet Jadav Molai Payeng, The Forest Man Of India, Who Has Been Planting Trees For The Last 43 Years

Each van mitra will receive an incentive based on the maintenance of the plant and they can plant a maximum of 1,000 saplings. Any individual aged between 18 and 60 can become a van mitra, according to an official statement.

In the first phase of the scheme, the selection of 7500 van mitra will be done through the portal. A van mitra can choose non-forest land for tree planting in their village, town, or city.

If the planted tree grows on the van mitra’s own land, they will be considered the owner of the tree.

According to the scheme, in the first year, van mitras will be registered and they will be trained and tree planting will be done by them.

In the first year, van mitras will receive Rs 20 for each dug pit upon uploading geo-tagging and photograph of the pit on the mobile app.

After geo-tagging, van mitras will receive Rs 30 for each planted tree, the statement said.

They will receive Rs 10 per living plant for the maintenance and security of trees planted.

Meanwhile, in the second year, van mitras will receive Rs 8 per living plant each month. In the third year, they will receive Rs 5 per living plant each month, and in the fourth year, this amount will be Rs 3 per living plant.

In case the van mitras wish not continue under the scheme, the Forest Department will take over the trees.

Also Read: Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi Lauds Environmental Conservation Efforts, Including UP’s Plantation Drive

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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