PANAJI
Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday said the Centre has approved financial assistance of up to Rs 6 crore for each urban forest project under the Nagar Aarogya Mission for Oxygen (NAMO) Van Yojana.
The move is expected to boost the Goa government’s plan to create “green lungs” across municipalities to tackle rising temperatures and improve climate resilience.
Rane said the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has issued operational guidelines for the NAMO Van Yojana, allowing urban local bodies and State governments to develop urban forests over the next five years.
As first reported by The Goan, the scheme will strengthen Goa’s urban forestry initiative, under which the Forest and Urban Development departments have proposed creating dedicated green spaces in municipalities to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Under the guidelines, the Centre will provide a one-time grant of up to Rs 6 crore for each urban forest project covering a maximum area of 100 hectares, with a limit of Rs 6 lakh per hectare. Any additional cost will have to be met by the State government or the implementing urban local body.
“This initiative will improve air quality, reduce urban heat, strengthen biodiversity and create healthier public spaces for our people,”
Rane said.
As part of the government’s plan to reclaim the legacy waste dump at Sonsodo, Rane said the site would be converted into a dense urban forest using the Miyawaki technique, a Japanese method of creating fast-growing forests in small spaces. Landscape architecture firm StudioPOD has been appointed to design the
green spaces.
“We have identified several more sites across municipalities to replicate this model and create more green lungs in our urban centres. The NAMO Van Yojana will further strengthen our vision of a greener and healthier Goa,” the
Minister said.
