Meghalaya spent Rs 44 crore on forest conservations in 2 years: CM

Guwahati: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated that the state government has spent Rs 44 crore on forest conservation over the last two years.

He also said that apart from the spent money an additional Rs 200 crore earmarked for future efforts.

Launching the GREEN Meghalaya Plus scheme in Tura, Sangma said that it was important to balance development with environmental responsibility.

The scheme, part of the Payment for Ecosystem Services initiative, provides incentives of up to Rs 20,000 per hectare per year to communities and individuals conserving forest cover.

The program aims to expand conservation to 50,000 additional hectares.

Beneficiaries received cheques under the CM Elevate, Focus, and Payment for Ecosystem Services programs, building on the success of the previous scheme that benefited over 3,000 individuals and conserved 54,000 hectares of natural forest.