Maharashtra planted 24 crore trees across the state in the last three years, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the legislative assembly on Friday.
Fadnavis stated that Forest Survey of India has declared Maharashtra as the only state which has registered a growth in forest cover in past years.
Not just forests, but trees outside jungles have also seen a spike - 253 square meters rise in trees and 82 square kilometer of mangroves.
This all is a result of the collective and focused efforts of Maharashtra government 2015 onwards, Fadnavis stated.
The Chief Minister further informed the House that in the past three years - 2016, 2017 and 2018 - the state has planted crores of trees through a planned scheme.
For 2016, the government planned two crore trees, but exceeded the target by 83 lakh saplings.
In the following year, more than five crore trees were planted even as the aim was four crore. The year 2018 saw a steep rise in plantation drive with the figure touching almost 16 crore trees.
The state government ensured the survival of these trees.
In 2016, 72 per cent of total trees planted survived. The next year 80 per cent trees survived and in 2018 the survival rate for plated trees was 85 per cent.
In his statement in Assembly, Fadnavis emphasised that it was the plan of his government right after its formation, to have huge plantation drive, but actually the drive started in 2016 as the government decided not to plant saplings of less than two years age, he shared.
Focus has been set on the areas of the state with less forest cover including Marathwada, Western Maharashtra and Vidarbha.
The Chief Minister was replying to a question in the House about plantation drive of state government in past three years and the survival rate of planted saplings.
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