The nationwide efforts to increase forest cover through merger of Green India Mission and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme was reflected at the district level initiation of saplings plantation at Pudupalayam locality in Murungathozhuvu Panchayat last week.
District Collector S. Prabakar and Project Officer of District Rural Development Agency Sreenivasan joined villagers in planting 100 saplings in the hamlet.
According to officials, the saplings were raised by the Forest Department in its nurseries with a little over Rs. 24 lakh provided by the DRDA.
A few panchayat unions have been identified for following new technology for ensuring strong survival rate.
Activities related to ecology restoration are already being carried out by the Rural Development Department under MGNREGA scheme by way of rainwater harvesting, afforestation and farm forestry.
