Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday said that during the forthcoming budget session the government would introduce a Bill in the state assembly for regulating wood-based industry which will have a bearing on the activities of investors and carpenters engaged in this sector.

In accordance with the same, Modi said the idea of giving exemptions to the investors in the sector has also been under active consideration of the state government.

The deputy chief minister also said that the policy decisions were taken at the pre-budget consultative meeting held on issues related to forests, afforestation and environment protection with around 50 persons representing various activities in the sector.

Half-a-dozen representatives also gave their recommendations. Finance department principal secretary S Siddharth and head of the environment and forest department Dipak Kumar Singh were also present at the meeting.

Deputy CM said that the budget of the environment and forest department has increased from Rs 50 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 911 crore in the 2019-20 financial year, while the department would be spending Rs 2,756 crore over three years under the ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’ campaign that will be marked by planting of 7.7 crore saplings. Further, 8.46 crore saplings of popular variety of trees were planted during the 2012-18 period.