MEDAK: Launching the sixth phase of Haritha Haram programme in Narsapur forest area of Medak district, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday asked people to plant at least six saplings in each household. He advised them to name the plants after their family members. He kicked off the programme, which aims at increasing the State’s forest cover to 33 per cent, by planting an Alla Neredu (Jamun) sapling. Rao said that Telangana is the only State in the country where every village has at least one nursery. Addressing villagers present at the venue, Rao said persistent efforts had rejuvenated the Narsapur forest which is spread across 92,000 acres.
“The State will prosper if rural economy is in fine fettle,” he said. He added that this was the reason why he had stopped payment of 50 per cent salary to government employees and paid over Rs 6,000 crore to Rythu Bandhu, the investment support scheme for farmers. Even during Covid-19 hardship, the State government supported farmers to boost the rural economy, Rao said. He predicted that good days lay in wait for Telangana.
As part of the government’s aim to protect the green cover in the State, Rao said that forest smugglers would be dealt with a stern hand. He also called upon people to help check forest smugglers. Rythu Vedikas (platforms for farmers) would be constructed in all 2,601 agriculture clusters in the State in the next three months, he said. Rao also said that the regulated crop policy introduced from this year would help farmers get remunerative price for their produce. By completing Mission Bhagiratha and Kaleshwaram Project, Telangana had taught critics, mostly erstwhile AP rulers, a lesson, the CM stated.
Rao said that Godavari waters has reached Gajwel through Kaleshwaram and assured that by June, 2021, Godavari waters would also reach Narsapur and Sangareddy. “Godavari waters will reach every part of the erstwhile Medak district except Zaheerabad. Zaheerabad will get backwaters of Singur through lift system,” he said.
The Chief Minister assured that a special fund of Rs 20 lakh would be sanctioned to every village panchayat and Rs 1 crore for each mandal in Narsapur Assembly. He also announced that he would sanction Rs 25 crore for Narsapur municipality and added that these funds would be in addition to the regular funds. Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, Finance Minister T Harish Rao, CM OSD (Haritha Haram) Priyanka Varghese, Principal Secretary for Environment and Forests Rajat Kumar, PCCF R Sobha, District Collector M Dharmareddy, MLAs Ch Madan Reddy, Ch Kranti Kiran and M Padma Devender Reddy were present on the occasion.
CM inspects Narsapur Forest Park on foot
After launching the sixth phase of Haritha Haram in Narsapur on Thursday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated the Narsapur Urban Forest Park that was developed in 636 acres. Covering the area on foot, Rao personally inspected the forest and forest revival works in the area.