Mumbai, June 30 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday directed all departments to ensure the plantation of 18 crore trees this year through meticulous planning, use of advanced technology, Public-Private Partnership (PPP), village-level plantation planning by Gram Panchayats, and coordinated efforts among various departments, as he reviewed the Harit Maharashtra Commission’s tree plantation campaign.

He stressed that every Gram Panchayat should identify available land, prepare a plantation plan through a Gram Sabha resolution and upload it to the Central Government’s designated portal to avail Central funding.

Fadnavis also called for real-time monitoring using satellite technology, drones and GIS systems, and directed that district-wise targets be set with joint planning by Chief Executive Officers, District Collectors and Forest Officers.

The Chief Minister was chairing a review meeting of the Harit Maharashtra Commission’s tree plantation campaign.

The Chief Minister said that tree plantation under the VB-G Ram Ji Scheme should be significantly expanded across the state. Every Gram Panchayat should identify available land, prepare a tree plantation plan through a Gram Sabha resolution, and upload it to the Central Government’s designated portal. If this exercise is completed on time, a portion of the expenditure incurred on tree plantation may be supported through Central Government funding.

He directed Chief Executive Officers, District Collectors and Forest Officers to jointly prepare village-level plantation plans and set district-wise targets. Each Gram Panchayat should undertake systematic tree planting by making optimal use of available land, while also conducting awareness campaigns to encourage public participation.

The Chief Minister noted that a GIS-based Land Bank identifying suitable land for plantation across the state has already been prepared and shared with District Collectors and concerned departments. Department-wise targets should be reviewed regularly, while Divisional Commissioners should conduct district-wise reviews and submit periodic progress reports to the Government.

CM Fadnavis stressed the need for advance planning to ensure adequate availability of saplings before the next plantation season by partnering with private organisations, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders.

Large tracts of land available with agricultural universities and other institutions should also be utilised for plantation. Such collaboration between the government and the private sector would facilitate large-scale plantation, he said.

He further informed that a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework has been prepared to encourage private organisations to participate in tree plantation, along with an integrated implementation mechanism. This framework should also be extended to municipal corporations for wider adoption.

The meeting was informed that real-time monitoring of tree plantation would be carried out using satellite technology, drones and GIS systems. A mechanism has been developed to accurately monitor the survival and growth of planted saplings for up to six months.

The required technical infrastructure has been established through the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre. The availability of saplings was also reviewed during the meeting.

At present, the Forest Department has approximately 60 million saplings, and plans are underway to increase this capacity to 100 million saplings by next year.

To achieve this, participation of private nurseries under the PPP model will be expanded. While private investment will be encouraged in the production, sale and distribution of saplings, the Forest Department will continue to be responsible for planning, quality control and overall monitoring, the government release said.

The Agriculture Department is also producing saplings. Approximately 1.5 million saplings are being raised in nurseries operated by agricultural universities, while 26.6 million saplings are being produced through accredited private nurseries, the department informed.

–IANS

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