SANGSAD BHABAN, Jan 16, 2020 (BSS) – Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister M Shahab Uddin today told the House that the government has so far earned over Taka 444 crore of revenue through social afforestation.
“About 99,126 hectares of land was brought under forest coverage and gardens were created along 73,230 kilometres roads from fiscal 1981-82 to fiscal 2018-19 under the social afforestation programme,” he said while responding to a starred question placed by opposition lawmaker Moshiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur-1).
The environment minister said a total of 7,01,732 beneficiaries, including 1,33,744 women, are involved in the gardens and forests created under the social afforestation programme.
Over Taka 419 crore has so far been distributed among the beneficiaries, he said, adding that more than Taka 119.39 crore was deposited in the Tree Plantation Fund during fiscal 1981-82 to fiscal 2018-19 for conducting reforestation progarmme.
Shahab Uddin said creating socioeconomic opportunities for the rural landless, poor and destitute people is the main objective of the social afforestation programme.
And the social afforestation programme is playing an important role in creating working opportunities for rural people and reducing poverty apart from protecting the country’s biodiversity and environment, he said.