Finance
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that, led by the aim of harmony between development and environmental conservation, Odisha has emerged as a leading state in the country in terms of forest conservation and green cover creation.
In his address during the State-Level Van Mahotsav event here, CM Majhi said, “Extensive plantation is the only long-term solution to tackling global climate change and increasingly severe heatwaves. Development and environmental conservation are not contradictory; rather, they complement each other. Guided by this vision, Odisha has emerged as one of the leading states in the country in forest conservation and the creation of green cover.”
He further added that over the past two years, the state has recorded an increase of 558 square kms in forest and tree cover, enabling Odisha to secure the third position in India. The Chief Minister said that under the ‘Sabuja Mahanadi Mission’, a 1.5-km-wide green belt is being developed along the banks of the Mahanadi, Tel, Ib, Brahmani, Rushikulya, Baitarani and Vansadhara rivers to ensure their perennial flow.
During the fiscal year 2025-26, 5.65 lakh saplings were planted across 774 hectares, with an aim of roughly 9 lakh seedlings across 2,702 hectares in 2026-27. The ‘Expanded Green Belt Scheme’ would plant 15.93 lakh seedlings across 358 hectares this year.
This year, roughly 6.95 lakh saplings will be planted to help reduce pollution in metropolitan areas. The ‘Ama Jangal Yojana’ has restored 19,975 hectares of degraded woods and reached 43.18 lakh local beneficiaries with livelihood-based activities worth Rs 1,488.52 crore.
Highlighting other key measures, the Chief Minister stated that the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) project has set a target of planting more than 20,562 hectares of forest area during the next year. He stated that the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project-II (OFSDP-II), which is being conducted with the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) help, has 1,210 Forest Protection Committees.
The Central Government’s MISHTI initiative is developing mangrove plantations on 89 hectares to preserve coastal areas, while the ECRICC project is restoring 2,405 hectares of salty forests.
In addition, 17.90 lakh palm saplings were planted during the previous fiscal year to mitigate the impact of lightning strikes. The new ‘Viksit Bharat – Rozgar Guarantee and Livelihood Mission (Rural)’, launched jointly by the Centre and the State Government on July 1 this year, aims to generate jobs alongside plantation activities. Majhi praised the people of Odisha for turning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign into a popular movement.
He stated that the Union government has set a target for planting 3.76 crore saplings in the state this year. The Chief Minister emphasized that development and environmental conservation are complementing rather than competing, and asked volunteer organizations and environmentalists to strictly conform to government environmental legislation.
He also encouraged all citizens to plant more trees to help create a healthy, green, and beautiful Odisha.
Source: IANS
