VIJAYAWADA: With an aim to increase the State’s green cover to 50 percent by 2047, the state government has initiated a comprehensive programme with the newly conceived Andhra Pradesh Society for Greening and Reforestation for Ecological Enrichment (AP-GREEN) bringing various greening initiatives under a single platform.
The initiative has been conceived under the supervision of Deputy Chief Minister and Forest and Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan, with a focus on protecting existing forests, creating new green spaces and restoring degraded ecosystems.
AP-GREEN will coordinate programmes involving the Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture, Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Education, Industries, Water Resources and Urban Local Bodies (ULV) departments, besides NGOs, CSR organisations, farmers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and educational institutions. The primary objective is to increase forests and green cover to 50 percent of Andhra Pradesh’s geographical area by 2047. The State currently has 37.42 lakh hectares of notified forest area, accounting for 22.96 per cent of its geographical area. As an interim target, the government plans to increase green cover to 33 percent by 2030.
As a part of the initiative, AP-GREEN will promote farm forestry, agro-forestry, avenue plantations, canal-bank plantations, shelter belts and large-scale plantation drives in rural and urban areas. Special attention will be given to restoring degraded lands, mining-affected areas, wastelands and ecologically sensitive zones. A Statewide nursery network will also be developed to ensure the production and distribution of quality planting material, reads the official release.
The programme seeks to create nature-based livelihood opportunities and rural employment by promoting tree-based economic activities. Climate-resilient species will be selected and planted using scientific methods, while GIS, geo-tagging and digital monitoring systems will be used to track plantation and survival rates.
Funding for AP-GREEN activities will be mobilised through State and Central government schemes, NABARD, CSR funds, carbon finance and credits, green bonds, District Mineral Funds and eco-tourism initiatives.
AP-GREEN will operate through a three-tier structure. A State-level governing council headed by Pawan Kalyan will formulate policies and review progress twice a year. An executive committee headed by the AP-GREEN chairperson will meet every three months, while district-level agencies will coordinate implementation with departmental officials.
At the mandal level, mission-mode activities will be undertaken with defined annual, six-monthly, quarterly and monthly targets. Pawan Kalyan has called upon citizens to participate in the statewide effort to build a greener and climate-resilient Andhra Pradesh.
