Union Minister Kirti Varadhan Singh discusses forest conservation and Agarwood policy with Nagaland officials in Kohima.
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DIMAPUR — Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Kirti Varadhan Singh held an interaction meeting with the officers of the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at the Forest Guest House, Kohima.
According to a DIPR report, officers of the department, led by Y Kikheto Sema, Principal Secretary to the government of Nagaland, apprised the minister about various initiatives for the conservation of forests, wildlife, and other natural resources in the state.
Highlighting the need for increased afforestation programmes in both rural and urban areas to overcome forest degradation, Kikheto requested increased allocations to the state under Nagar Van. He also requested the central government to consider the state under the Green India Mission (GIM) schemes of the MoEFCC.
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Regarding initiatives to promote Agarwood plantation in the state, the principal secretary conveyed that the draft Agarwood Policy for Nagaland is under submission to the Cabinet for consideration. Kikheto also requested the allocation of funds from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under the central fund.
During the interaction, the minister encouraged the department officials to adopt a renewed approach for the conservation of natural resources with technological interventions.
Nudging the officials to take up comprehensive conservation measures to address issues like forest fires, landslides, and water scarcity through soil and moisture conservation activities, he called upon the department to sustainably manage abundant natural resources in the state for economic viability and ecological sustainability.
Advising the adoption of improved plantation techniques, namely improved clones of Teak and inoculation of Agarwood, the union minister of state called upon the officials to interact with research institutions like IFGTB, Coimbatore, and RFRI, Jorhat, to bring relevant technological advancements to tree cultivation in Nagaland.
Highlighting the need for adopting improved forest management techniques for better economic returns from Teak and Agarwood plantations, he called for the promotion of production forestry to boost the economy of farmers in the state.