New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to discuss several environmental issues related to his Lok Sabha constituency of Sambalpur, Odisha.

Member of Parliament (MP) from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan, requested the intervention of the Environment Minister in the expansion and upgradation of Sambalpur Zoo to the 'Medium Zoo' category. This expansion would facilitate the induction of new species and the development of educational and research facilities.

He also urged for Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary to get the Tiger Reserve status, which will promote tiger conservation in the region and give a boost to tourism.

Dharmendra Pradhan also requested the Environment Minister Yadav's attention to the urgent need for the development of Nagar Vans in the industrial belt of Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Brajrajnagar, the coal belt of Angul-Dhenkanal, and the heat-affected region of Titilagarh-Bolangir of Odisha under the Nagar Van Yojana (NVY).

In alignment with the Government's vision of 'One Earth, Many Efforts,' as articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the establishment of Nagar Vans in urban clusters is aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability and community well-being.

In June 2022, PM Modi launched the 'Lifestyle for the Environment - LiFE Movement' with the vision of 'One Earth, Many Efforts'. The Nagar Van Yojana was launched by the Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2020, with an aim to develop 400 Nagar Vans and 200 Nagar Vatikas. The objective of the scheme is to enhance the tree outside forests and green cover, enhancement of biodiversity and ecological benefits to the urban and peri-urban areas.

In September 2024, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav highlighted the creation of 3,776 hectares of Nagar Van and Vatikas under the scheme in 64 National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) cities with Rs 142 crore sanctioned, encouraging other cities to utilise this scheme to develop green spaces. (ANI)