Shimla: Flood protection project on Swan River in Una district has been enhanced from Rs 160 Cr to Rs 220 Crore and the implementation period has been extended by a year to close in March, 2015, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal revealed here today.
Presiding over a high level meeting, Dhumal disclosed that central government had extended the tenure of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project being executed by the forest department by a year as well as increased its outlay by Rs 60 crores.
The Swan project had been got approved with a view to regenerate forests, protect the farm land, enhance agriculture and forest production, reduce soil erosion and decrease sediment load.
Through effective and environment friendly treatment in the catchment areas of 96 panchayats of Una district the project was targeted at improving the livelihoods of of 30,000 families living in the area.
Dhumal said that about 12,000 families had already benefitted from the project, about 5,500 hectares of land had been protected against floods through afforestation activities, which had also increased water table substantially in the area.
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