Summary:
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that the green mission programme is being taken up under NREGS.
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Many sates in the country have been taking up green initiatives to plant tress and Andhra Pradesh does not lack behind.
The state government is taking up a major programme to enhance green cover in the state under Jagananna Pacha Thoranam.
The government has set a target to plant 68 lakh saplings along the 17,000 km-long roads in villages.
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that the green mission programme is being taken up under NREGS.
Addressing a state-level conference here on Tuesday, the minister asked senior officials to take up the programme as prestige project and achieve the target.
“Although we have set a target of planting around 68 lakh saplings, we can easily make it one crore if the project directors of DWMA and village level officials are committed to the cause,” said Peddireddy.
He said that planting more saplings would not only increase greenery but also help us bring ecological balance.
He said that dedication of the officials down the level had helped AP break all old records and set new milestones in creating employment under NREGS during the current fiscal.
The minister, however, emphasized protection of each and every sapling planted as part of the programme.
“We have brought certain amendments to the PR Act according which protection of at least 83 per cent plants are vested with the village sarpanches,” said Peddireddy.
He said that mere planting of sapling would not give the desired results.
He said that the government was providing tree-guards to protect plants and it would be responsibility of sarpanches and field officials to ensure their survival.
The minister said that the officials who protect more plants would be felicitated by chief minister.
He said that he would inspect protection of plants during his district visits.
He said that the government would not spare anyone found negligent in implementation of the Jagananna Pacha Thoranam programme.
He asked the officials to engage unemployed youth from villages to take up watering and conservation of plants by providing them wage under NREGS.