Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Forest department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singapore based company Proclime here today in the presence of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to engage the community for afforestation under the Him Evergreen project.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjay Sood signed the MOU on behalf of the state government while Chief Executive Officer Kavin Kumar Kandsamy on behalf of the Company.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that this afforestation and carbon credit project would play a vital role in strengthening climate resilience, improving farmer livelihoods and supporting India’s long-term net-zero goals. It would benefit more than 50,000 farmers across the state by integrating tree plantation on farmlands and field bunds.
He directed the Forest department to provide financial assistance and hand holdings to the farmers encouraging them to plant saplings on their lands. He said that they would receive benefits of the carbon credit after five years and 30 percent profit of the company would go to the farmers. This project would be implemented in three phases and would go a long way in increasing the green cover in the State besides providing large scale employment opportunities and livelihoods to the farming community.
The Chief Minister said that this project was expected to generate significant long-term climate benefits through carbon sequestration, while also delivering multiple co-benefits, including improved soil health and reduced erosion, enhanced on-farm biodiversity and additional income opportunities for participating farming communities.
Secretary, Environment, Science Technology and Climate Change, Sushil Singhla, Technical Director of Proclime Company Samrat Sengupta and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.
