2.51 crore saplings to be planted on Bihar Prithvi Diwas: Dy CM Sushil Modi

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday said that 2.51 crore saplings would be planted on Bihar Prithvi Diwas on August 9 in the state, the drive for which has been named as Mission 2.51 crore plantation.

Out of the 2.51 crore saplings, 78 lakh saplings of fruit bearing trees such as mango, guava, jackfruit, gooseberry, blackberry would be planted, and the remaining saplings will be of teak, mahogany, rosewood, 'pipal' and banyan.

Mentioning that the success of the drive depends on the supply of quality saplings, Modi said that it has been decided to plant trees with a height of at least three feet to ensure its survival.

A total of 282 lakh saplings from nurseries of the environment department, 8.50 lakh from Agriculture College, Sabour, 25 lakh saplings from the garden directorate of agriculture department and 126 lakh saplings from temporary nurseries of forest areas will be made available for the purpose, the deputy chief minister said.

Out of 2.51 crore saplings, 1.13 crore would be planted under MNREGA and 66 lakh under JEEViKA groups, he said. The Bihar government, through the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), an autonomous body under the Department of Rural Development, is spearheading the World Bank aided Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), locally known as JEEViKA.

While 100 to 125 saplings would planted in each ward of the gram panchayat, 1,300-1,400 saplings will be planted in each panchayat, the deputy chief minister said. Apart from central public sector undertakings, voluntary organisations and religious organisations, the CRPF and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will also participate in the drive, Modi said.

Even a common person can join the programme after buying a sapling at the rate of Rs 10, he said. Planning is being made at micro level for making Mission 2.51 crore plantation drive a successful one and land is being identified to carry out the plantation drive, he said. Modi is also in charge of environment, forest and climate change departments.

(Photo Credit: PTI)