Over 13,000 hectares approved for afforestation programme: Govt

More than 13,000 hectares has been approved in the last three years to adopt a particular model which aims at increasing fodder availability under the NationalAfforestation Programme, the government said on Tuesday.

"National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB), Ministry of Environment is implementing the programme for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests.

"The scheme provides various models and components for eco-restoration, one of them being development of Pasture/Silvi pasture model which aims at increasing the fodder availability in the project area.

"During the last three years from 2013-14 to 2015-16, an area of 13,013 hectares has been approved to be planted under Silvi pasture development component," Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

The National Forest Policy 1988 emphasises on a massive need-based and time-bound programme of afforestation and tree planting with particular emphasis on fuel wood and fodder development on all degraded and denuded lands in the country, the Minister said.