Steering Committee meeting for Climate Change Action Plan concludes

Raipur, April 27, 2026/Chief Secretary Mr. Vikassheel said that action plans should be made village-wise to make the rural areas of the state climate change-resilient. It should be proposed to use the available CSR funds for climate change programs in the state. The meeting of the steering committee constituted for the action plan on climate change of Chhattisgarh state was held today under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mr. Vikassheel at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan.

In the meeting, discussions were held regarding Chhattisgarh State Climate Change Centre, State's action plan on climate change, implementation of climate change related programmes in the state and formation of State Climate Change Authority and implementation of carbon credit based programmes in the state. Detailed discussions were held with the departmental secretaries regarding implementation of action plan on climate change. In the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Climate Change Department, Mrs. Richa Sharma gave information regarding the background of climate change, factors of climate change and negative impact of climate change in Chhattisgarh state as well. PCCF Shri Srinivas Rao, APCCF Shri Sunil Mishra participated in the meeting.

Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country in tree cover

Officials of the Chhattisgarh State Climate Change Centre informed that various works related to climate change are being carried out in the state. These mainly include tree plantation work. Nearly 7 crore saplings have been planted under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam scheme. 3 crore 68 lakh trees were planted under the Kisan Vriksha Mitra scheme. Officials informed that according to ISFR 2025, the highest increase of 683 kilometres has been achieved in the forest and tree cover of the state, which is at the first position in the country. Under climate change in the state, the general public is being encouraged to drive e-vehicles. Solar pumps are being distributed to farmers.

Officials stated that organic farming is being promoted in the state. In the year 2025-2026, approximately 55,050 hectares of land will be cultivated organically. Hydrological planning for more than 300 dams in the state, along with sedimentation surveys for 24 large and medium reservoirs, has been completed. Officials expressed their views on establishing a climate change knowledge center in the state.

In the meeting, officials of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Forest and Climate Change, Water Resources, Urban Administration, Transport, Commerce and Industry, Minerals, Energy, Health and Family Welfare Department, Revenue and Disaster Management, Women and Child Development and Panchayat and Rural Development Department presented information of their respective departments regarding the implementation of Climate Change Action Plan.

In this meeting held through video conference, Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Smt. Niharika Barik Singh, Principal Secretary of Law and Education Department, Smt. Sushma Sawant, Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Smt. Shehla Nigar, Secretary of Mineral Resources and Chief Minister, Shri P. Dayanand, Secretary of Urban Administration Development Department and Chief Minister, Shri Basavaraju S., Secretary of Commerce and Industry Department, Shri Rajat Kumar, Secretary of Energy Department, Dr. Rohit Yadav, Secretary of Transport Department, Shri S. Prakash, Secretary of Housing and Environment Department, Shri Ankit Anand, Special Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Ms. Iffat Ara, along with officials of State Planning Commission, NABARD, Centre for Environment Education, Indian Institute of Science and Department of Agricultural Meteorology, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University and officials of various departments of the State Government participated.