Farm Forests to increase green cover

Incentives to farmers for planting saplings, Rs 150 crore kept aside for project

The National Forest Policy envisages 33 per cent forest cover in a geographical area. The scheme, to be implemented from 2011-12 aims to achieve the target. It involves farmers in afforestation endeavours.

Farmer-centric

Farmers are at the centre of this project. The department will supply one crore saplings annually over a span of five years. The task entails an expense of Rs 150 crore.
A sum of Rs five crore will be spent in the first year, Rs 15 crore in the second year, Rs 30 crore in the third year and Rs 50 crore each fourth and fifth years.

The special feature of the scheme is that farmers who actively involve themselves and nourish saplings for a period of three years are entitled to incentives.
Teak, bamboo, silver oak and fruit-yielding saplings will be supplied to farmers, at 25 per cent discount.

Farmers will get Rs 10 per saplings for the first year, Rs 15 for the second year and Rs 20 for the third year. The amount will be paid at the year end. Farmers can plant saplings in a maximum of four hectares. Those who take up the scheme in a hectare will get Rs 5,000 incentive.

NGO assistance

It has also been planned to rope in non-governmental organisations, community workers and women self help grounds in the scheme.

According to National Forest Policy 33 per cent of a geographical area should be forest. Karnataka at present has forest area of 22.5 per cent and it requires afforestation in 20 lakh hectares to meet the national standard.

The department has estimated that 19.8 crore saplings need to be planted annually over the next ten years to achieve the target. The plan is to involve farmers in the effort.

According to sources, the State has 15 lakh hectares of land where farm activity has not been carried out for one or more years and the scheme proposes to utilise such land.

The plan for afforestation

* One crore saplings to be planted annually for five years.
* Farmers get Rs 10,15 and 20 per sapling in the first, second and third year respectively.
* Rs 5,000 incentive for implementing the scheme one hectare of land
* Karnataka has forest cover of 22.5 per cent as against national standard of 33 per cent