Maharashtra Allocates ₹90.72 Lakh to Sustain Drought‑Stricken Tree‑Planting Scheme

The Maharashtra government announced a tranche of ₹90.72 lakh earmarked for the fourth year of upkeep of its Panchayat Van, Bel Van and Amrit Van programmes, which aim to restore green cover across drought‑hit regions. The funds will be distributed to local panchayats, who must submit survival‑rate reports before receiving the next instalment, creating a direct financial incentive for careful planting and maintenance. Officials highlighted that the scheme targets 304 talukas where groundwater levels have fallen dramatically over the past decade.

The allocation arrives amid mounting tension between the state’s environmental ministry and agricultural departments, each vying for limited resources to address water stress. Critics argue that without reliable irrigation infrastructure, sapling survival remains precarious, and the performance‑linked model could penalise villages lacking technical support. The state has therefore pledged additional training for forest officers and the deployment of drip‑irrigation kits to bolster the chances of meeting the ninety‑percent benchmark.

If successful, the initiative could reshape rural livelihoods by providing shade, reducing soil erosion, and modestly improving local microclimates, thereby supporting agrarian productivity. Politically, the move offers the ruling party a tangible achievement to showcase ahead of upcoming elections, while also positioning Maharashtra as a potential model for other Indian states grappling with climate‑induced resource constraints.