||Black and White Digital News ||

||Parvinder Singh Sept 19,2026||

KATHUA : A meeting of the District Steering Committee for implementation and monitoring of activities under the Green India Mission (GIM) was held today under the chairmanship of the District Development Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma here at DC Office complex.

The meeting focused on deliberations and approval/ recommendation of the Green India Mission Micro Plans for the years 2026–27 and 2027–28 for Kathua District.

While deliberating on the modalities of the plan, the DC emphasized the need of coordinated implementation across the Forest Divisions of Kathua, Billawar and Basholi.

The concerned Divisional Forest Officers and Social Forestry Division made detailed presentations on the objectives of the Green India Mission, the landscapes allotted to the respective divisions and the progress of advance and creation works undertaken since 2023–24.

The Committee also reviewed the progress of eco-restoration of degraded open forests. Giving details of achievements, the meeting was informed that ₹15.37 lakh were spent on restoration of 20 hectare forest area at Koli Kopper falling in the Kathua Forest Division. Billawar Forest Division reported works covering 75 hectares with a financial achievement of ₹6.11 lakh, while Basholi Forest Division reported works covering 6 hectares with a financial achievement of ₹2.88 lakh.

The Committee examined the resolutions of the Village Forest Committees (VFCs) from across Kathua, Billawar and Basholi Forest Divisions, besides plantation works along NH-44 and the railway track proposed by the Social Forestry Division, which were placed before it for consideration.

After detailed deliberations, the Committee recommended around ₹4.55 crore (₹454.78 Lakh) Micro Plans for 2026–27 and 2027–28 for submission to UT level Steering Committee for further consideration.

The proposal comprises ₹167.90 lakh for advance works during 2026–27 and ₹286.88 lakh for creation works during 2027–28.

The meeting concluded with directions for coordinated follow-up and timely submission of the recommended Micro Plans to the UT Steering Committee for further necessary action.

The meeting was attended by the District Programme Officer, ICDS/Nodal Officer, Tribal Affairs, Kathua; Divisional Forest Officer, Kathua, who is also the Member Secretary of the District Steering Committee, along with the DFO, Billawar; DFO, Social Forestry Division, Kathua; DFO, Basholi; ACD, DPO; Chief Agriculture Officer, Kathua; District Officer, JAKEDA, Kathua and Representative of the Conservator of Forests, East Circle, Jammu.