JAMMU: Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Ecology and Environment Department, Sanjeev Verma today underscored the need of converging forest related activities with MGNREGS besides making the scheme “Har Gaon Haryali” a grand success by planting area specific saplings.
This was stated by the Commissioner Secretary while chairing a meeting of officers of Forest and Rural Development Department.
Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mandeep Kour besides Principal Chief Conservator Forests and HoFF, Mohit Gera, Director Social Forestry, Neelu Gera, Director Soil and Conservation Department, Dr T S Ashok, Deputy Commissioners, both the Directors of Rural Development Department, Assistant Commissioners Development and Divisional Forest Officers attended the meeting.
It was informed in the meeting that about 20 thousand mandays have been generated, so far, through convergence of forest related activities with MGNREGS, besides, it is expected to generate more than one lakh mandays by the end of current financial year.
Verma said that visible increase in forest cover will not only help in maintaining ecological balance but will immensely help in generating employment in rural areas. He stressed on the need of creating water recharging structures.
Commissioner Secretary RDD emphasized the need of involving public and the PRIs in all forest activities being done in convergence with MGNREGS for enhanced results. She assured complete coordination from RDD towards making convergence and “Har Gaon Haryali” a grand success.
Commissioner Secretary Forests asked for including different forest related activities under convergence so that these are approved by the Gram Sabhas and thereafter could be effortlessly put to execution in MGNREGS. He briefed about the list of activities which can be taken up for convergence like prevention and control of forest fires, creation and maintenance of fire lines, removal of lantana, repair and maintenance of bridle paths and trek routes besides desilting of existing water recharging structures/bowlies and construction of new ponds (Water Harvesting Structures).
He asked all the DFOs of Forest territorial and Social Forestry to formulate additional plans for covering non-forest government land in their jurisdiction.
