CHANDIGARH: Haryana Forests Department will spend an amount of Rs 286 crore in collaboration with a foreign bank for poverty alleviation programme related to forestry in 800 villages of the State.

This was disclosed by the Haryana Minister of State for Forests, Tourism, Sports and Youth Affairs, Kiran Choudhry  . She said that Haryana Forests Department had formed self-help-groups in 1100
villages and Rural Forests Committees in 1700 villages of the State for improving tree cover in the State.

Advocating women empowerment, she said that the land and plants would be provided by the Forest Department to the women for setting up nurseries. This way they would be able to sell plants from their plantation and augment the family income.

The Forests Minister said that in order to preserve the environment over nine crore saplings were planted last year and this year also the target to plant 4.5 crore saplings in the State had been achieved.

She said that Haryana was the first state in the country to implement Forest Policy. In order to create environmental awareness amongst the students, Van Mohotasava had been organised in 50 schools of each district and this campaign would also be launched in 1000 more schools,she added.