Krishna (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 15 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged people to plants more trees and also suggested them to take selfies while planting trees and share it on the social media.

The Chief Minister, who launched a plantation programme 'Vanam-Manam' (forest and we) in the campus of Indian Institute of Industrial Training (IIIT), at Nuzvid, in Krishna district, said, "Everybody should plant trees, take selfies with them, and post them on social media. It should become a moment. Everybody should plant a sapling on their birthday, and grow them."

The programme, which was launched yesterday aimed to increase the forest cover in Andhra Pradesh. This program will continue for 127 days and will conclude on November 23. As many as 26 crore trees will be planted all over the state in this period through government departments and private organisations.

"Today as many as 1 crore saplings were planted across the state. The government gave a call to plant two saplings in the house and one outside the house," Naidu said.

Andhra Pradesh government has been organising this program since last three years under 'Mission Harita Andhra Pradesh'. Its aim is to increase the green cover in the state by 50 percent by 2029.

"Today our state has 26 percent green cover. Our target is to make it 50 percent by 2029. Andhra Pradesh is a symbol for biodiversity. There are 2351 varieties of trees, 1461 animal species. Of them, 68 plant varieties and 10 animal species are exclusive and unique to the state. Our state has 13 reserve forests, three national parks, two zoological parks, one tiger reserve and one elephant reserve. Nallamala, India's biggest tiger reserve is spread in 3325.31 km in Andhra Pradesh," the Chief Minister said.

Naidu further said that the efforts by the Andhra Pradesh government have made Visakhapatnam again a green city after being destroyed by Hudhud cyclone three years back.

He said that his government is driving the state towards Zero Budget Natural Farming.

"We are promoting electric vehicles, so that fuel pollution can be reduced. Such measures reduce pollution to great extent. We are claiming our state as Sunrise Andhra Pradesh. We are trying to use solar energy at an optimal level. We are trying to stop increasing power tariffs. We are constructing Amaravati as a green field city," he added. (ANI)

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