This island was on the brink of disaster. Then, they planted thousands of trees.

National Geographic – December 19, 2018

UNTIL RECENTLY, THE people living on the island of Kokota thought their forests were lost forever. The tiny Tanzanian islet measures only one square kilometer and is home to just 500 people.

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Govt OKs pvt role in farm produce procurement

Times of India – September 13, 2018

The Centre on Wednesday approved a new umbrella scheme for procurement of notified farm produce on minimum support price (MSP), involving private sector for the first time in the process and linking central support with states moving on agriculture market reforms as one of the key conditions.

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India unveils its national strategy to increase forest cover in line with Paris Agreement

Times of India – August 30, 2018

India on Thursday released its ‘National REDD+ Strategy’, one of the key tools to fulfil the country’s commitment of increasing forest cover in a time-bound manner under the Paris Agreement on climate change.

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Cabinet clears proposal of organic farming mission

The Asian Age – August 22, 2018

The Maharashtra cabinet has cleared proposal to form organic farming mission on Tuesday. This establishment will be known from Panjabrao Deshmukh, former agriculture minister of state as Panjabrao Deshmukh Organic Farming Mission. It is aimed to support and increase organic farming in state.

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India’s farm sector accounts for 90% of total water drawn, but contributes only 15% to the country’s GDP

Counterview – August 19, 2018

India has long undervalued one of its most precious resources – water. The country’s chronic mismanagement of water is staring at it now. The country breaks out in a cold sweat every time the monsoon is delayed.

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2 years after enacting law, Centre unlocks Rs 66,000 crore green fund

Times of India – August 13, 2018

Unlocking a fund of more than Rs 66,000 crore to increase the country’s green cover, the Centre has finally notified the rules for utilisation of the money by states and Union Territories, and for setting up authorities to monitor its use for afforestation and conservation. The rules have been framed two years after a law to this effect was enacted.

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Devendra Fadnavis gives in-principle nod to Rally for Rivers’ plan to revitalise Yavatmal’s Waghari river

Firstpost – August 11, 2018

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this week gave in-principle approval to a detailed project plan by Rally for Rivers for the revitalisation of the Waghari river in Yavatmal district. The district, located in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, has seen significant agrarian distress in the recent few years.

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Mah Governor calls for making Waghari River Rejuvenation model project

United News of India – August 08, 2018

Mumbai, Aug 8 (UNI) Maharashtra Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday said that the Waghari River Rejuvenation Project to be taken up in Yavatmal district should be made a model project for the entire country.

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Varattar revival at a crossroads

The Hindu – August 03, 2018

The rejuvenation of the 9-km-long Varattar river that meanders through the three grama panchayats of Eraviperoor, Kuttoor, and Thiruvanvandoor and the Chengannur municipality has reached a crossroads with experts raising concern about the move to launch construction work along the river banks before carrying out a proper environment impact assessment or even fixing the river boundaries.

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Govt sanctions raising new battalion from Territorial Army to patrol river areas

The Tribune – July 30, 2018

The Union Government has accorded sanction for raising a new Composite Ecological Task Force (CETF) of Territorial Army to patrol sensitive river areas for protection of biodiversity and other tasks.

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Pilot project on assisted forest regeneration work in Cauvery

Business Standard – July 23, 2018

A pilot project to develop a model of large-scale assisted forest regeneration work would be implemented in the Cauvery river basin in the next three to six months, spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has said.

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Save Rispana campaign: 2.5 lakh saplings planted along river banks

The Tribune – July 23, 2018

As part of the Rispana River Rejuvenation campaign, thousands of people, led by Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat, on Sunday planted 2.5 lakh saplings along the river banks.

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Gujarat to follow Madhya Pradesh model to revive dying rivers

DNA India – April 20, 2018

When the main source of water for Gujarat, Narmada is drying up, the state government has decided to follow the Madhya Pradesh Model of ‘Mission Narmada’ to revive the dying rivers in state. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani gave in a principal nod to the project been designed by rural development commissioner Mona Khandhar.

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Centre drafts national forest policy; Focuses on urban greens, private participation and climate change mitigation

Times of India – March 16, 2018

Seeking to replace the country’s 30-year-old national forest policy, the Centre has come out with a new draft policy which calls for promoting urban greens, public private partnership models for afforestation, strengthening forest fire prevention measures and plantations in catchment areas to rejuvenate water bodies among many proposals to protect India’s green cover.

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