In a bid to enhance environmental sustainability and generate rural employment, the Himachal Pradesh government has launched a state-wide plantation scheme aimed at making the state a Green State by 2027. The initiative, led by the Forest Department, offers financial incentives to Gram Panchayats and Yuva Mandals for planting trees on community land.
Forest officials have begun surveying villages across the state to identify suitable plots for plantation. Under the scheme, assistance will be provided for planting trees on land ranging from one to five hectares. Up to ₹2.40 lakh will be granted for plantations on two hectares, with an additional ₹1 lakh per year for the next four years if more than 50 percent of the saplings survive.
Interested Gram Panchayats and youth groups must register with their local forest guard or regional forest officer to participate. Once registered, forest officials will inspect the proposed land to assess its suitability, the number of saplings that can be accommodated, and the species that should be planted.
Only selected native species will be allowed under the program. These include local trees like Ban and Beul, as well as fruit-bearing plants such as Anardana, Kachnar, and Buransh. The choice of species aims to ensure both environmental and economic benefits for the villages, as they will yield fruit and timber over time.
The goal of the program is to increase the green cover across the state while encouraging active community involvement in environmental protection. The scheme is expected to create meaningful employment opportunities, especially for rural youth, and contribute significantly to the state’s goal of becoming a model for ecological conservation by 2027.
