Bhubaneswar: The third meeting of the State-Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) for the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ plantation campaign was held here Wednesday, during which the status of monitoring, portal data uploads and plantation survival, in line with the detailed programme guidelines, was reviewed.
The meeting was chaired by Forest, Environment and Climate Change department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Satyabrata Sahu.
During the review, Sahu directed that all pending uploads on the monitoring portal be completed by the end of December.
Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) were instructed to actively coordinate with other stakeholder departments to ensure timely uploads. Special reviews were conducted for Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj, and Khurda districts, and the concerned authorities were advised to expedite the completion of pending uploads within the stipulated timeline.
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Sahu also emphasised the role of District Collectors, directing them to hold monthly district-level review meetings to closely monitor progress and ensure compliance.
Appreciating the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water departments for achieving full compliance in uploads, he further called for strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism with clearly defined accountability to ensure time-bound resolution of complaints.
Attending the review meeting, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department Principal Secretary Arabinda Padhee underscored the importance of advance planning for the upcoming plantation season, emphasising scientific site selection, appropriate species choice, and increased community participation.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF) Suresh Pant informed that future plantations would prioritise wild fruit-bearing species, Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) species, and multi-economic species, aimed at livelihood support, fodder availability, and ecological enhancement.
He reiterated the need for all DFOs to complete portal uploads within the current month.
The ACS also appreciated the Forest Department and Odisha Remote Sensing Application Centre (ORSAC) for developing a robust, technology-driven monitoring system capturing plantation locations and numbers across the state.
He directed the constitution of a multi-departmental committee for scientific site selection based on agro-climatic zones, comprising representatives from the Forest department, Directorate of Horticulture, and Directorate of Soil Conservation.