Himanta Sarma's Plantation Drive, Tree Economy Push In Assam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday urged the people of the state to plant one crore trees on Gandhi Jayanti to increase the green cover in Assam. As a reward, the government will pay Rs 100 to people for each sapling they plant.

The Chief Minister underlined that it will give fillip to a tree economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced 'Mission Life' to bring about a 'Jan Andolan' (People's movement) which will be at the forefront of the global climate action narrative, the Chief Minister said while participating in a tree plantation programme, 'Amri Plantation', at Chandubi in Kamrup Rural district.

The plantation will lead to a 38 per cent increase in forest cover by the year 2028, Mr Sarma said.

''I sympathise with everyone experiencing the scorching heat in the state but we have to take steps to bring back temperatures to optimal level. We will have to take steps to increase the forest cover, phase away fossil fuels and free up encroached forest lands to bring back temperatures to their optimal level," the chief minister said.

Talking about the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891, the Chief Minister said that now the regulation has been amended which will allow people to plant commercial trees that can be used for felling.