Sampada Vanams to provide income to gram panchayats

The government has decided to grow ‘Sampada Vanams’ (income forests) in government lands located in gram panchayat limits.

Karimnagar: The State government, which is increasing the green cover in the State by planting trees in a big way under the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme, has come up with an innovative idea to provide additional income to gram panchayats.

The government has decided to grow ‘Sampada Vanams’ (income forests) in government lands located in gram panchayat limits. As part of the programme, fruit bearing trees will be planted on the bunds of canals and other open lands. To mark the launch of the programme, a few saplings were formally planted in SRSP land in Nagunur last month. Further plantation will be taken up after the rains pick up momentum, officials said.

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Right from the digging of pits to growing trees will be taken up under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Besides planting trees, water taps will also be arranged to supply water to the saplings. Fences will also be arranged to protect them from cattle.

Mango, guava, black berries, custard apple, amla, jackfruit, sapota, sweet orange, pomegranate and other fruit bearing trees will be planted. Gram panchayats, which will maintain the Sampada Vanams, will get income by selling fruits in the market.

Irrigation and Panchayat Raj department officials have identified lands to grow the ‘Sampada Vanams’ along the SRSP canals in Karimnagar rural mandal. It was decided to plant 5,400 saplings in 12 km of SRSP D-89 canal in Nagunur, Chamanapalli, Cherlabuthkur, Jubilee nagar, Elabotharam, Erukulla, Mogdumpur and Chegurthi.