Chandigarh, Aug 29 (IANS) Accepting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's request, the Centre on Thursday sanctioned Rs 1,040 crore for the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for greening Punjab.

Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot received the sanction letter from the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar.

Javadekar also appreciated the state's effort to turn afforestation into a mass-movement with schemes, like 'Ghar Ghar Hariyali', and planting of 550 trees in each village during the 550th Prakash Purb celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.

The state plans to use the money in a phased manner to realise its five-year perspective plan to increase green cover.

--IANS vg/pcj