Haryana CM Khattar launches 'Van Mitra' scheme to encourage participation in tree planting

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday launched the 'Van Mitra' scheme and its portal to encourage community participation in tree planting activities in non-forest areas.

The members of families with an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh can register to become 'Van Mitras'.

Khattar said that the objective of this scheme is to directly involve the local public in increasing forest areas across the state, ensuring an increase in the survival rate of afforestation, and promoting tree planting in non-forest areas.

Each van mitra will receive an incentive based on the maintenance of the plant and they can plant a maximum of 1,000 saplings. Any individual aged between 18 and 60 can become a van mitra, according to an official statement.

In the first phase of the scheme, the selection of 7500 van mitra will be done through the portal. A van mitra can choose non-forest land for tree planting in their village, town, or city.

If the planted tree grows on the van mitra’s own land, they will be considered the owner of the tree.