Gandhinagar: State forest and environment minister Arjun Modhwadia on Friday announced in the assembly that the Gujarat govt decided to take up large-scale afforestation on rural grazing land, fallow land and other unused land under the public-private participation (PPP) model. The minister made the statement in the house under Rule 44 of the assembly proceedings, which pertains to matters of public importance.“The govt decided to expand tree cover in the state under the PPP model by planting indigenous species and organizing large-scale afforestation activities in rural grazing lands, fallow lands, and other available unused areas,” the minister said.He added that due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and expansion of infrastructure in the state, an integrated and responsible collaboration between the govt, the private sector, and local communities is essential to maintain environmental balance. He said that considering Gujarat’s development and Vision 2047, there is a continuous need to increase tree cover, and the state forest department needs to undertake large-scale afforestation activities outside forest areas.
