Forest dept seeks Rs 406-cr allocation in state budget

The forest, ecology and environment department has placed a proposal for allocation of Rs 406.75 crore before the state government at its pre-budget meeting. This is less than last year’s Rs 498 crore.

A forest department official on condition of anonymity told DH that the demands have been cut owing to the financial burden on the state. Also, this year, there is no proposal to declare any forest as reserve or sanctuary.

50 tree parks
The department has proposed to create 50 tree parks in the city and state, create sandalwood estates and encourage farmers to grow the state tree. The department has also proposed to build 100 ponds and solar-powered borewells in wildlife areas, work on which has already begun in Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves. The forest department is concentrating in Jogimatti, where there is severe power crisis.

The department has also planned to create a nursery society to raise funds to grow and distribute saplings across the state. While the department wants to set it up with various government departments, the government has proposed that this be done by the Karnataka State Forest Development Corporation or Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation.

The state government has also agreed to the proposal of the forest department to keep aside one percent of the road development fund for planting roadside saplings on the lines of the National Highways Authority of India.

The Cabinet, a month ago, had already approved the proposal to plant saplings along a 1,000-km stretch of all major roads. The department is also promoting the Krishi Arogya Protsahana Yojana, where compensation to farmers will be increased for sapling plantation from Rs 40 to Rs 100 and increase the overall budget from Rs 27 crore to Rs 60 crore. The department has also proposed to set up a Poornachandra Prathishtana at a cost of Rs 5 crore, for research and development along with an information centre at a cost of Rs 12 crore. This is proposed at Ramanagaram, where the forest department already has a nursery.

The official said that the government in principle has agreed to all their proposals, unlike before where it used to be a hard bargain.