Jammu, Sep 14: The Social Forestry department is likely to wind up its monsoon plantation drive well before achieving the set target of planting around 3.80 lakh saplings due to paucity of funds.
 Sources informed Greater Kashmir Social Forestry department has set a target of planting 3.80 Lakh saplings of various plant species this monsoon under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme, but financial constraints have become a major hurdle to take the drive to its logical end.    
 “This year the  department has planned to cover 490 hectares land in three districts of  Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur, besides two Tehsils of  Sunderbani and Nowshera of district Rajouri ” sources said, adding that the total cost of the plantation project was estimated at Rs. 1.50 Crores but till this time  not a single penny has been released to the department.
 The funds for plantation drive are sanctioned under CAMPA and are released only after a high level screening committee headed by Chief Secretary approves the identified area. 
 “Generally, the high level screening committee sanctions funds immediately after approving the targeted area for plantation and getting nod from concerned minister” sources said.
 However, not a single meeting of high level screening committee has been held this year so far. “If the committee fails to meet the funds will not be released and thus the plantation drive will have to be abandoned halfway, sources added.
 They further disclosed that till this time the department has planted only 2 Lakh plant saplings against the set target of 3.80 lakh plants by using its own resources but it cannot take the drive further in view of shortage of money. “The department has so far executed the plantation drive  by managing its own funds, but now it is facing hurdles to continue it due to paucity of funds” sources said.
 Sources further said that last year the funds for plantation drive were released within few days of start of monsoon. “Due to early release of funds last year,  the social forestry succeeded in planting around 5 lakh plant saplings, but this year it seems that the target will not be accomplished” sources said.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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