Panaji

The Centre has approved assistance of up to Rs 6 crore for the Goa government's ambitious NAMO Van Yojana, which will help develop dedicated green spaces to tackle rising temperatures and improve climate resilience, state Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Tuesday.

The state's plan to create urban forests across its municipal areas has received a major boost with the Centre approving the proposal under the NAMO Van Yojana, Rane told PTI.

The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority has approved guidelines for the Nagar Arogya Mission for Oxygen (NAMO) Van Yojana, which enables urban local bodies and state governments to develop forests in cities and towns over the next five years, he said.

The scheme would support Goa's recently announced urban forestry initiative. The forest and the urban development department would jointly develop "green lungs" in urban areas to improve environmental sustainability, Rane said.

The Centre would provide financial assistance of up to Rs 6 crore for each urban forest project covering up to 100 hectares, subject to a ceiling of Rs 6 lakh per hectare, he informed.

READ MORE: Shakiba Mohammad brings Middle East flavours to Guwahati

"If any additional expenditure is incurred beyond the central assistance, it will be borne either by the state government or the urban local body concerned," he added.