Minister for IT and municipal administration, KT Rama Rao visited his Assembly constituency Sircilla on Thursday.
Seven lakh saplings were planted in a single day across the constituency as part of the Haritha Haaram programme. In Jillella village, KTR planted the Jittiregua sapling at the local medicinal plantation centre.
KTR praised the state government’s programme claiming that they had plans to plant 230 crore saplings in the next five years. To accomplish this, he said that 46 crore saplings would be planted every year. He said that the government had been spending crores of rupees to acquire saplings to distribute them to people free of cost.
The minister urged parents and local adiminstration to encourage planting of saplings.
Rao planted saplings in Yellareddypet, Mustabad and Ghambhiraopet mandals.
He promised that water tankers would be made available in the summer season to ensure that plants would be watered. Collector Neetu Prasad, joint collector Sridevasena and other district officers accompanied the minister. Rao said that the state presently has a 23 per cent forest cover and it should be increased to 33 per cent for environmental balance.
In another sapling drive at Manthani, Finance minister Etela Rajender and MLA P Madhu participated.
Source: The New Indian Express