Divisional Commissioner, Sanjeev Kumar Verma, today launched Mulberry Plantation drive on the retrieved state land here at Lamberi and allotted it to the Sericulture Development Department Rajouri.The 20-Kanal land is being established as new Mulberry Farm under Mulberry Area Expansion Programme.The Div Com was informed that 159.01-Kanal land at 10 locations, in different tehsils of the district, has been identified for establishment of new Mulberry Nurseries/Blocks under the programme. This will give a big boost to cocoon production thereby improving socio-economic condition of the poor silkworm rearers of the district, he was further apprised.The Div Com was also informed that 85700 Mulberry saplings would be planted in the district under different schemes including 50,000 under District Plan, 25000 under MGNREGA, 1500 under Urban Mulberry Plantation Scheme, 3500 under Plantation on retrieved/allotted land, 5700 under replenishment of SCSP/STSP Scheme during the current year. Besides, 7.14 lakh saplings have been targeted to be planted in 16 existing mulberry nurseries in the district under Nursery plantation.