Himachal CM lays foundation stone of Forest Rest House in Sara Gadakufar

Shimla, April 5 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Saturday virtually laid the foundation stone of Forest Rest House to be constructed at Sara Gadakufar in Theog in Shimla district.

The facility would be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.60 crore.

The Chief Minister said that this region has immense potential for tourism and eco-tourism, and a large number of tourists visit Sara Gadakufar annually to witness and experience its pristine natural beauty.

The Chief Minister said that despite the vast tourism potential, there was no rest house facility available within a 25-km radius of this area, and several prominent temples were situated in the region.

The Forest Rest House at Sara Gadakufar, once completed, would help boost tourism and enhance the comfort and convenience for tourists.

The Chief Minister said that at present, the Forest Department possesses around 450 rest houses across the state.

“These facilities can be utilised to promote eco-tourism efforts for sustainable tourism development. Several eco-tourism sites are being identified, and an allotment process is currently underway. As of now, seven eco-tourism sites have been allocated, and the allotment process for an additional 78 sites was set to commence shortly,” the Chief Minister.

Sukhu said in the past two years, afforestation activities have been carried out over 600 hectares of barren hills and slopes, and local communities have been involved in these efforts.

“A seven-year maintenance period has been defined for the saplings, during which locals will be engaged, which would ensure employment opportunities for the locals nearer to their homes. The government has set a target to undertake plantation activities on 5,000 hectares of forest land in 2025–26, and approximately 60 per cent of the saplings will be fruit-bearing and of other economically beneficial species,” said the Chief Minister.

He added that this would not only enhance biodiversity but also help contain wildlife within forested areas and reduce human-animal conflict.

The Chief Minister said the launch of the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana, for which a provision of Rs 100 crore has been made in the 2025–26 budget.

He said that under this scheme, youth clubs, ‘mahila mandals’ and self-help groups would be encouraged to plant fruit-bearing trees on one to five hectares of barren forest land.

“These groups would also be responsible for maintaining the plantations over five years,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that in the first year, each group would receive financial assistance of Rs 2.40 lakh for plantation and fencing.

“Thereafter, annual grants for upkeep and maintenance would also be provided to these groups. In total, each participating group would receive Rs 6.40 lakh over five years to support this initiative,” he said.

--IANS

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