Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today launched ‘NaMo Vad Van’ campaign by planting a banyan tree in Gandhinagar today on International Day of Forests.

Under the state-wide ‘Namo Vad Van’ campaign, 75 vad van will be planted in 33 districts. The forest department of the state will plant a total 75 banyan trees in each vad van. The campaign has been started under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

CM Patel said that the selling rights of forest byproducts under PESA Act are given to local tribes for the financial self-reliance of them. The selling of 30 to 35 lakh bamboos produced in forests have also provided livelihood to the tribals, he said. The state government has made provision of Rs 20 crore in the current year’s budget to encourage farmers to cultivate bamboo in 5891 hectares under Bamboo Mission Scheme. DeshGujarat