Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan asks all government departments to prepare detailed and time-bound action plans. | Photo credit: File Photo
The Andhra Pradesh government is all set to launch its ambitious 50% green cover project from Ugadi, a major step towards long-term environmental sustainability.
The government has placed green growth at the center of its development agenda with a long-term vision of achieving 50% green coverage in the state by 2047.
According to Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the government is aiming to increase green coverage to 37 percent by 2030 as an interim target.
The Deputy Chief Minister, who chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Tuesday, directed all ministries to prepare detailed and time-bound action plans ahead of Ugadi, stressing that the target cannot be achieved without collective administrative commitment.
At present, Andhra Pradesh has around 30 percent green cover, requiring an additional seven percent over the next four years.
To achieve this, plantation activities must be carried out on nearly 9 thousand hectares, with a total long-term plantation requirement of 32.6 thousand acres. Each department has been assigned specific responsibilities, with the horticulture department expected to contribute nearly 12 percent of the total seedlings, he said.
Mr. Pawan Kalyan emphasized on environmental sensitivity and instructed the officials to favor indigenous and climate resilient plant species. Industrial corridors will be built with pollution-absorbing trees, and cyclone- and salt-resistant species will be planted along the coast. Fruit trees will be promoted on farmers’ land, canal embankments and reservoir embankments to ensure sustainable income generation along with environmental protection.
The Great Green Wall Project
Plantations along national and state highways will be made mandatory and all ministries have been asked to align their efforts with the Great Green Wall project, especially along the 970-acre coastal stretch, a significant portion of which falls under the forest department.
“Every sapling planted must serve both environmental protection and public welfare,” said Mr. Pawan Kalyan.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Forests, Agriculture, Irrigation, Urban Development and APIIC.
Published – 20 Jan 2026 19:03 IST
