Forest cover to expand by 10 mn hectare

India will have 10 million more hectare of land under forest cover within 10 years, and half of it will be developed as a dense forest, Director General Forests P.J. Dilip Kumar said Friday.

India will have 10 million more hectare of land under forest cover within 10 years, and half of it will be developed as a dense forest, Director General Forests P.J. Dilip Kumar said Friday.

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"The benefit of soil and water conservation and afforestation is that the water level comes up and wells and reservoirs are recharged. These result in better agriculture, less migration to cities, children's education and better lifestyle," Kumar said after giving away the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra (IPVM) awards here.

The IPVM awards are given in various categories in afforestation and wasteland development.

India now has 23 percent of land under forest and is planning to expand it to 33 percent by 2020.