An official communiqu quoted Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief of Forest Force Sanjay Shukla as saying on Thursday that more than 16,000 beneficiaries had been registered by the Forest Department for tree plantation.
The scheme has been launched to increase the income of farmers with commercial tree plantation in their lands with their Consent, it said.
Under the scheme, farmers, willing land owners, government, semi-government and autonomous institutions of the government, private educational institutions, private trusts, Panchayats and land contract holders can benefit.
Full financial assistance will be granted under the scheme for up to five acres of tree plantation whereas 50 percent financial assistance will be granted for more than 5 acres of plantation.
For the purchase of marked species of trees, the minimum sale price has been decided. In five years, after the planted trees are mature, they might be worth Rs. 10,000 crores, the communiqu said. This year, 12 species of trees will be planted on 30,000 acres. These species include clonal eucalyptus, root shoot teak, Tissue Culture, sandalwood, Amla, Sheesham and Mahaneem.