VIJAYAWADA: The Forest and Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department is all set for the successful implementation of Jagananna Pachatoranam, a scheme aimed at planting 6 crore saplings to increase the green cover of the State. Apart from giving a roadmap to district and field level staff on planting the saplings, the higher officials also decided to involve the services of volunteers and village secretariats for the protection of the plants. A Panchayat Raj department official told TNIE that six crore sapling were ready in the nurseries of the forest department in 13 districts.
“Besides entrusting the responsibility of identifying suitable locations to village volunteers and staff of village secretariats for planting the saplings, we are taking measures to ensure the protection of each and every plant to reach the ultimate goal of increasing greenery in the State,” the official explained. One crore saplings will be planted under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment G u a r a n t e e S ch e m e (MGNREGS).
Of the one crore saplings under MGNREGS, 40 lakh will be planted on both sides of roads at a length of 10,000 km, 30 lakh on hillocks in an area of 5,000 acres, 20 lakh on the boundaries of fields and 10 lakh under black plantation and on the premises of government offices. Sapling will also be planted on the house sites to be distributed to the poor on July 8.