Various government departments and agencies have readied up 43 lakh saplings for distribution to mark the World Environment Day this year.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will formally launch the State-wide distribution as well as the observance at the Pinarayi Convention Centre in Kannur on Sunday.
The seedlings were prepared by the Forest department across 832 nurseries in the State in association with the Local Self-Government department and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) under the ‘Vrikshasamrudhi’ social forestry scheme aimed at undertaking afforestation drive in non-forest areas.
The department estimates the responsibility of nurturing the plants for three to five years will generate 78 lakh job days for workers under the MGNREGS. The scheme is aimed at facilitating 50% carbon sequestration, mitigating global warming, climate change and natural calamities, enabling local bodies achieve self-sufficiency in sapling production, and improve livelihood opportunities of local communities.
Minister for Local Self-Government M.V. Govindan will preside over the function. Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran will also participate.
