Minister for Forests and Environment Sidda Raghava Rao said that the State government was striving to increase green cover from the present 23 to 50% by the year 2029. With this target, government is planting 25 crore saplings in the State under ‘Prakruti Pilustondi’ programme.
Speaking at a programme here on Saturday, he said that they were involving school and college students in Vanam-Manam programme in all the 13 districts and giving saplings free of cost. He said that all the educational institutions should take up this programme and students should take it as a social responsibility. The Minister said that not only plantation, but also protection of the saplings should be part of Vanam-Manam programme and all the five crore population in the State take part in this movement. Later, the Minister distributed saplings to students from different schools from Rajamahendravaram.
Kakinada territorial DFO Nandini Salaria, DFO (social forestry) Prasuna, AP Forest Development Corporation Regional Manager Bharath Kumar and others participated in this programme.
