BHUBANESWAR : The state-level steering committee of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) on Thursday approved project proposals of Rs 1,044.47 crore under annual plan of operation (APO) for 2024-25.
Mandatory activities like plantation maintenance, compensatory afforestation, implementation of regional wildlife management plan, site-specific wildlife projects, regeneration of degraded bamboo forest, forest protection, fire prevention and wildlife management are proposed to be taken up in the next financial year.
Submitting the APO, principal chief conservator of forest Debidatta Biswal said the Forest department has planned to take up compensatory afforestation on 7,174.2 hectare, new plantation under artificial regeneration (AR) on 17,197 hectare and assisted natural regeneration (ANR) on 1,675.5 hectare. He said CAMPA is carrying out sustainability plan for 10 years maintenance.
The state has so for implemented 14 annual plan of operations and the 15th APO is under implementation. Out of the cumulative outlay of Rs 3,230.32 crore for the last three years from 2021-22 to 2023-24, Rs 3,041.17 crore was approved by national authority and an expenditure of Rs 2,397.99 crore has been incurred as on November 30, 2023. The total expenditure under APO 2023-24 as on December 31, 2023 was Rs 644.53 crore, he added.
Chairing the meeting, chief secretary Pradeep Jena advised to use drone technology to study forest cover mapping before and after plantation. The drone survey should be conducted every year to ascertain the survival of trees.
Jena further advised to assess the ground water recharge achieved and soil erosion prevented during and after 10 years of plantation management. He said Vana Surakhya Samities are to be involved for protection from forest fire in coordination with forest guards.