Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today finalized the modalities of ‘greening mission fund’ especially created to enhance the area under forest cover from 7% to 15% by undertaking massive plantation drive across the state and sought firm commitment of Rs.67 crore to fund this prestigious program.Presiding over the meeting of senior officers of the Punjab government besides the Chief Administrators of the development authorities of GMADA, PUDA, GLADA, BDA, PDA, ADA, Badal asked them to mobilize resources for generation of funds under green mission program.It may be recalled that Punjab is the first state in the country to launch this unique project of aforestation and set up a dedicated fund under ‘greening Punjab mission’ to garner financial support from the government departments, boards and corporations by way of contribution towards the fund to make this unprecedented project financially viable and self sustainable. Taking part in the deliberations, the Principal Secretary Finance Satish Chandra apprised the Chief Minister that NABARD had already sanctioned a loan of Rs.30 crore for the current fiscal for this program. While updating the Chief Minister about the progress of the project of greening Punjab, Financial Commissioner Forests DS Bains said that Rs.1926 crore was required for the plantation of 40 crore trees over next 8 years. He said that annual expenditure on this program nearly comes to be Rs.240 crore, of which Rs.80 crore was likely to be funded from the State Plan Schemes/State Compensatory Aforestation Fund of the forests department and therefore, resulting in a net deficit of Rs.160 crore every year. He said that a sum of Rs.130 crore was available during 2012-13 which was being spent on enhancing the capacity of the nurseries, setting up new nurseries besides training and capacity of the staff. Bains agreed to undertake plantation of trees in the mandi yards, focal points and the urban estates developed by the various authorities through the forest department and asked the concerned officers to provide the list of vacant land location wise. Badal asked the Chief Secretary to work out the ways and means for the maintenance and upkeep of plants under the program by appointing nodal officers at block level to monitor the progress of these plants with the concerned forest officials. Showing prime concern for the nurturing of these plants, Badal emphasized the need to motivate the forest guards in such a manner that they should ensure the growth of these trees with utmost care and sincerity. Badal said; “The aspect of nurturing plants in the early stage of growth is of paramount importance and should be given top priority otherwise it would be a sheer wastage of resources”. On the persuasion of the Chief Minister, the GMADA, PUDA, PPCB, PIDB, PSIES and Technical Education voluntarily offered Rs.5 crore each to fund this project besides Rs.3 crore was contributed by BDA, Rs.2 crore by Mandi Board and Rs.1 crore each by PDA and Markfed, totaled to Rs.37 crore. Badal asked the concerned officers to deposit the money in the ‘greening Punjab fund, positively within a week. Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Forests Minister Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Forests Ch. Nand Lal, Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh, Financial Commissioner Revenue NS Kang, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests HS Gujral and Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister KJS Cheema.