World Bank funded Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project, which was scheduled to close on March 31 this year, has been extended by three years, Himachal Pradesh Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri today said.
The number of Gram Panchayats covered under the project has been increased from 602 to 704, besides a hike in the outlay of the project from Rs 365 crore to Rs 600 crore, he said.
The project has been extended till March 2016, he said.
Bharmauri said the project was being implemented since October 2005 in 602 Gram Panchayats of 42 Development Blocks of ten districts of the state, excluding tribal districts.
The project is aimed at checking exploitation of natural resources besides providing better livelihood avenues to the beneficiaries, he said.
He credited Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for extension of the project.
102 new Gram Panchayats were included for undertaking the watershed treatment activities and emphasis was being laid on land and water preservation to facilitate expansion of irrigation facilities for agro-horticulture sector, he added.
Bharmouri also assured police protection to the shepherds in vulnerable areas of Kangra, Una, Hamirpur and Kullu districts and said the incidents of cattle theft reported in the recent past are a matter of serious concern.
He said directions had been issued to police authorities to provide protection to the shepherds from anti-social elements, indulging in robbing and looting the poor shepherds.
The Forest minister said sheep breeding was the mainstay of the economy of maximum people in tribal areas as well as lower hills and it was imperative that the government provided them necessary help and protection.
