Hyderabad: Minister for rural development Jupally Krishna Rao said the government would utilise MNREGA funds to dig pits to plant saplings as part of third phase of Haritha Haram programmed, which will be launched on July 12.
He said the department had taken this decision to provide employment to people in rural areas under MNREGA besides improving the green cover in the state.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat, Mr Rao said, “A target to plant 42 crore saplings across the state has been set by the government for third phase of Haritha Haram. In this, the panchayat raj and rural development department alone will plant 12 crore saplings.”
He said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was keen on improving green cover from 24 per cent to 33 per cent in four years and to achieve this task 230 crore saplings will be planted in four years.
Mr Rao said of this 120 crore saplings will be planted in non forest areas and 10 crore in GHMC and HMDA limits.
“The target is to plant 40,000 saplings in each village and 40 lakh in each Assembly constituency. Already 42 crore saplings have been kept ready in 2,925 nurseries,” Mr Rao said.
He said the department would sanction funds for protection of saplings.
