PEERZADA SAYEED
KUPWARA, OCTOBER 05: A meeting of the District Steering Committee (DSC) for the Green India Mission (GIM) was held today at the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Sh. Shrikant Suse, IAS to deliberate upon and approve the GIM Perspective Plan for District Kupwara for 2026–27 to 2031–32.
At the outset, DFO Kamraj made a detailed presentation on the objectives and components of GIM, achievements under the previous Perspective Plan and proposed interventions for the new planning period. The Green India Mission, one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, adopts a landscape-based and participatory approach aimed at enhancing forest and tree cover, restoring degraded landscapes, strengthening ecosystem services and improving livelihoods of forest-dependent communities.
It was informed that under the previous Perspective Plan, 409.36 hectares had been treated against a target of 541.40 hectares, while 1,48,470 plants had been raised/planted. The meeting also took note of livelihood initiatives under GIM, including distribution of sewing machines among women SHGs, potter wheels to local artisans, wood-carving tool kits to trained youth and honey boxes among members of the tribal community.
The new Perspective Plan envisages treatment of 141.50 hectares during 2026–27 to 2031–32 with a total financial outlay of ₹424.53 lakh. Proposed interventions include restoration of degraded open forest ecosystems, rehabilitation of abandoned mining and stone quarry areas, urban and peri-urban plantation, eco-restoration of wetlands, agroforestry and social forestry, and alternative fuel and livelihood support.
While deliberating upon the Perspective Plan, the Deputy Commissioner stressed that GIM interventions should be implemented through convergence with ongoing schemes of the Agriculture, Rural Development and other allied departments. He also called for greater focus on urban greening and beautification, particularly at the entry of Kupwara town, along with focused interventions for beautification and eco-restoration of wetlands and water bodies.
Emphasising livelihood enhancement, the Deputy Commissioner stressed greater support for tribal and forest-dependent communities through value addition, processing and market linkages for locally available NTFPs and forest-based products. In this context, the Perspective Plan provides for establishment of an NTFP Processing Centre in Kamraj Forest Division, besides Training Centres and Nursery Research Centres in Kamraj and Kehmil Forest Divisions.
The Deputy Commissioner also called for measures towards making Lolab Valley plastic-free, including establishment of suitable anti-polythene collection points, preferably near security posts and other strategic locations, through coordinated efforts of the Forest Department, Rural Development Department and other concerned agencies. He further stressed rehabilitation of the stone quarry at Kralpora and directed that GIM micro-plans be prepared in consonance with inputs from allied departments to ensure integrated and site-specific interventions.
The District Steering Committee thereafter approved the GIM Perspective Plan for District Kupwara for 2026–27 to 2031–32, with the directions and priorities discussed during the meeting to be incorporated in its implementation.
The meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner Development Kupwara, Assistant Commissioner Panchayats, Chief Agriculture Officer, DFO Langate, Technical Officer to Conservator of Forests, North Kashmir, representatives of DFO Kehmil Forest Division, District Tribal Welfare Officer, Kupwara, besides other concerned officers and officials.
