Shimla, Jan 12 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday flagged off a vehicle carrying ‘chilgoza’ (pine nut) saplings as a gift to the Kingdom of Bhutan from the state secretariat in Shimla.
India and Bhutan share warm and cordial relations and this green initiative will further strengthen the bond between the two countries, an official statement issued here said.
Chilgoza is a unique and highly valuable species of the western Himalayas, closely linked with environmental protection, biodiversity and local livelihood, it said.
Himachal Pradesh and Bhutan share a similar Himalayan natural heritage, the chief minister asserted.
The state forest department would soon provide chilgoza seeds worth Rs 5 lakh to Bhutan, he said, adding that earlier too, 50 kg of chilgoza seeds had been provided to the neighbouring country.
In addition, training would be provided to forest officials from Bhutan on how to grow chilgoza plants, and a team from the Bhutan forest department would soon visit Himachal for this purpose, he said.
The state government would involve local women’s groups in chilgoza-based activities and provide them with financial support, Sukhu said, claiming efforts related to chilgoza cultivation and development would be further expanded. The chief minister said the present state government was taking several steps to promote forest conservation and expand green cover. As a result of these efforts, the forest area of the state has increased by about 55 sq km. PTI BPL ARB ARB
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