An agreement was signed between the State Government and the French Development Agency

• 07 Apr 2023

Why in News?

In a meeting held at the Government Secretariat in Jaipur on 5 April 2023, State Chief Secretary Usha Sharma told that an agreement has been reached between the state government and the French Development Agency, in which, the plantation will be done on a large scale under the 'Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Development Project' to be implemented in collaboration with the French Development Agency, which will increase the green area of the state.

Key Points

• On this occasion, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Dr. D.N. Pandey and Bosle Bruno, Country Director of the French Development Agency in India, signed the agreement.  
• The 'Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Development Project' will start a new era in the forestry and biodiversity sector of the state. For this, the French Development Agency was assured that the state government would achieve all the targets in the stipulated time while ensuring the quality of the project.
• Under this ambitious project of the Forest Department, Rs 1693.91 crore will be spent in 13 districts in the next 8 years, of which 70 percent (Rs 1185.28 crore) will be borne by the French Development Agency and 30 percent (Rs 508.62 crore) by the state government.
• Project Director Munish Kumar Garg told that various works will be done under the project in Bharatpur, Kota, and Tonk along with Alwar, Baran, Bhilwara, Bundi, Dausa, Dhaulpur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts of the state. Along with plantation in a 55000-hectare area, apart from the authorized areas of the Forest Department, 55 lakh saplings will also be distributed in the outer areas.
• Extensive development works will be done in Bharatpur's Kevaladeo National Park, Bisalpur, Tonk and Kota Conservation Reserves, Kota's Bhainsrodgarh Sanctuary, Bundi's Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve to create an environment conducive to uninterrupted life of animals. About 610 kilometres of borders in forest areas will be protected by concrete walls.