KARACHI: The provincial assembly of Sindh Wednesday was told that in compliance with the Prime Minister directives the Sindh Forest department has proposed a development project in its ADP.
The Project titled, "Reclamation and Development of Forest Areas in Sindh", which is for the period of five years from 2016-17 to 2020-2021 at a cost of Rs. 800 million with 50 per cent cost share of provincial and federal governments.
The session of the assembly started with recitation of Holy Quran and Naat Sharif, the Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani was in the chair.
Sindh Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Food Nisar Ahmed Khuhro replying to questions during question hour session on Forest Department, said that under the Green Pakistan Programme as per directives of the Prime Minister a new umbrella project is under consideration in the ministry of Climate Change of Pakistan.
He said that in pursuit of the same the Sindh forest department has proposed a development project. He further said that the project will help in protecting and conserving forestry resources of Sindh specially mangroves, irrigated plantation and linear plantation along roads and canals.
Replying to a question he said that the forest department has mandate to carry out plantation on any blank area suitable for plantation irrespective of ownership in consultation with concerned entity.
Answering another question, the minister said that at present there is no policy in execution in the department whereby uncultivated forest land is allocated on 30 years lease for afforestation to promote forests.
To another question regarding lease of lands, Khuhro said that there is an approved Sindh Agroforestry Lease Policy 2004 under execution in Sindh forest department under which scheduled forest land is granted for five years agroforestry lease and after completion of initial five years lease period is extendable to another five years.
He further said that under this policy forest land is leased out only for agroforestry purpose and not solely for agriculture.
He, replying to another question said that at this time there are 2028 employees working in different grades in the department.
The assembly also passed Sindh Food Authority bill 2016 with amendments to it.
And also passed four resolutions to pay tributes to women.
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