Karimnagar: Municipal and information technology minister K. Taraka Rama Rao said that gram panchayats that take up plantation of 40,000 saplings would be granted funds under various schemes of the government.
He participated in the ongoing second edition of Telanganaku Harita Haraam, and planted saplings near a forest on the outskirts of Jillela village in Sircilla mandal on Thursday.
He was accompanied by Telangana State Apex Cooperative Bank chairman K. Ravinder Rao, collector Neetu Prasad, joint collector A. Devasena and DIG T. Prabhakar Rao.
Mr Rama Rao asked the seniors and officials of gram panchayats to reach the target of planting 40,000 saplings under the second phase of massive plantation drive, at the earliest. Funds for developmental activities would be released to only those gram panchayats that accomplish target, he stressed.
The minister claimed that the massive plantation drive was getting global recognition. "It is not just duty of public representatives, but of all people. Like you nurture children, you must protect saplings. You develop the habit of protecting them” he requested people.
He lauded authorities for planting 28 lakh saplings across Sircilla Assembly constituency in the current phase of the drive. Later, he toured Duala, Alimasipur, Garjanapalli, Bandalingampalli villages of Yellareddypet mandal in order to take part in the plantation of saplings. He appealed to the public to take steps to assure survival of the saplings.
