Free saplings for girl child scheme gets low response

Pune: It has been two years since the Maharashtra Government announced  the ‘Kanya Van Samruddhi Yojana’ scheme, wherein farmers’ families where a girl child is born will be given free saplings for plantation. So far only 2,220 farmers’ families have applied for it.

Assistant Conservator of Forest, Social Forestry, DS Gholap, said, “The birth rate of girl child in Pune district is 36,714, out of which, 16,357 girls belong to farmers’ families. Until now only 2,220 applications were received. The scheme was aimed at empowering women and promoting tree plantation.”

The GR states that a farmer’s family blessed with a girl child between April 1 and March 31 can make an application with the gram panchayat after which they will get 10 saplings free from the Forest Department. Beneficiaries will have to plant the saplings between July 1 and 7. 

“Since there is low awareness about the scheme, there are less takers. This will benefit the farmers ultimately. It is expected that the income from these trees will be utilised for safeguarding the future of the girls. The saplings of various varieties including teakwood, mango, jackfruit, black plum and tamarind were distributed,” Gholap added.