The Rajasthan government officially launched its ‘Maha Vriksharopan Abhiyan’, a major tree plantation drive aimed at enhancing greenery across the region. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma inaugurated the campaign, which set an ambitious goal of planting over 2 crore trees throughout the state.
The CM announced that 50 crore saplings will be planted in Rajasthan in 5 years. Along with this, he announced grants to private and panchayat nurseries.
10 crore saplings in a year
The campaign aims to plant 50 crore saplings in 5 years. Given this, 50 new nurseries will be opened in the state to produce 10 crore saplings every year. Also, 540 nurseries already operating will also be expanded.
The initiative extends to all levels of local government, including Panchayat workers, Anganwadi staff, MNREGA workers, Sarpanchs, Gram Sevaks, and Patwaris to foster environmental awareness.
Students to get extra marks for each tree planted
The Rajasthan government has mandated that each student in government schools plant five trees. The trees planted will be geo-tagged, with details of the students recorded for accountability. Notably, every student will receive extra marks for each tree that survives until the end of the academic session, as per an order from the education department.
Geo tagging will be like this
- A tree will have to be registered in the name of the mother.
- OTP will be generated as soon as you enter the mobile number.
- By clicking on the ‘Add Tree’ option at the top, the photo and information of the plant will have to be entered.
- The first photo will have to be uploaded of the preparation for plantation and the second photo will have to be uploaded after the plantation.
- Below the photo, the name of the plant, its height, location, time and date will have to be uploaded.
- Once submitted, officials will be able to see it online.
Tree friends will be made to take care of the plants
The Chief Minister said – mere planting of trees is not enough. It is also important to take care of the plant. The department will take care of the saplings growing on forest department land. The concerned department will do the work of conservation of plants growing on the land of other government departments.
This plantation program will also be linked to MNREGA. In this, we will make the person who plants 200 trees a tree friend. 2 thousand tree friends will be made in every area, who will also be paid. Apart from this, any interested retired officer-employee in rural areas can also become a tree guardian.
Only 10% trees in Rajasthan
Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani participated in the Van Mahotsav program. He said, “We have only 10% trees in Rajasthan. Nature’s rule is that trees should be planted on 33% of the land. But, only 10% are engaged in Rajasthan. Everyone should join this campaign and plant one tree each on their festivals, birthdays and anniversaries and also conserve it.”
More than 2 crore saplings planted on the first day
Under the campaign, a target was set to plant 1 crore saplings. But by the evening, 2 crore 7 thousand 485 saplings had been planted.
