Tripura government has recently announced a Rs 473 crore Ten Year Perspective Plan for afforestation of 2.33 lakh hectares in the state.

Announcing this, Tripura Science and technology minister Jitendra Choudhury said, the main objective of the perspective plan were Bio-diversity, Conservation , Ecological restoration and Degraded forests and economic uplift of tribals and rural poor by enhancing employment generation opportunities. Perspective plan also includes in-situ and ex-situ conservation of wild life, protection of existing forests, development of eco-tourism, strengthening of policy and institutional framework, expanding tree cover beyond forest areas, research and development .

Of the 2.33 lakh hectare areas to be afforested during the next ten years (2002-2012) 25,000 hectares are government land, 26,500 hectares are land under private holding and 1,81,500 hectares forest land. Of the Rs 437 crore for the perspective plan, Rs 254 crore would be available from the external funding agencies, Rs 100 crore from the central and state sector schemes, Rs 95 crores from the non- lapsable pool (Special Central Assistance), Rs 15 crores from the forest revenues.

Of the 2.33 lakh hectares to be covered under the Ten Year plan, 2000 hectares and 31,000 hectares would be brought under the medicinal plantation, bamboo and cane plantation respectively.