Environment Ministry plans to introduce tree farming

The Centre has planned to introduce tree farming in India to increase the forest cover in the country, Union Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javdekar said here today.
Chairing a high level meeting of concerned officials of the Forests Ministry and Department of Maharashtra here, Javdekar said the Ministry was giving stress on forestry this year and wants to ensure total forest cover with trees.
"Today the quality of forests is not satisfactory and the Ministry wants not only total forest cover but also improve its quality and bring richness in it. Hence we are planning to begin tree farming," Javdekar told PTI in a brief chat after the meeting here.

On the 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' controversy and the opposition to it by some fundamentalist groups, Javdekar said it was all "unnecessary".
These slogans spread patriotism and are linked with freedom struggle in the country, he said.