Govt unveils Detailed Action Plan for Aravalli landscape restoration

• Union Minister Bhupender Yadav unveiled a Detailed Action Plan for Aravalli Landscape Restoration during a national workshop in Udaipur, Rajasthan, attended by key stakeholders from four states — Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi. 

• Aravalli mountain range extends for more than 692 km from Gujarat to Delhi through Rajasthan and Haryana.

• The action plan outlines a science-based, community-led, and policy-supported roadmap to restore the ecological integrity of the Aravallis. 

It focuses on five pillars:

i) Ecological Restoration: Assisted natural regeneration, native species plantation, soil and moisture conservation.

ii) Community Participation: Involving local communities, especially women and youth, in planning and implementation.

iii) Policy and Governance: Strengthening regulatory frameworks, convergence of schemes, and effective monitoring.

iv) Sustainable Livelihoods: Promoting eco-tourism, agroforestry, and non-timber forest produce (NTFP)-based enterprises.

v) Research and Innovation: Using GIS-based mapping, remote sensing, and restoration ecology practices for informed action.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)