The Assam government has taken an initiative aimed to plant over 1 crore commercially viable saplings across the state by individuals under ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ on September 17 and as part of the exercise the state government will also attempt to set up 9 Guinness World Records.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati that, Assam’s mega plantation drive ‘Amrit Brikhya Andolan, 2023’ involving plantation of over one crore seedlings of 53 numbers of commercially valuable species, to be planted across the state in one day on September 17 this year, in a Jan Bhagidaari model and the state government will attempt to create multiple records.

“As of September 5, 68 lakh seedlings have already been delivered to various stocking points across the state. 47,34,465 beneficiaries across the state have registered online through the mobile app. The state government will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record in 9 different categories. While some categories are new, in some existing categories, attempts will be made to improve the existing records. The Assam government will attempt to create largest line/spiral of saplings on September 9 at Khanapara Veterinary College Field, Guwahati; largest number of seedlings distributed in one day at one venue on September 10 at Khanapara Veterinary College Field, Guwahati; most trees planted by a team in 24 hours (847275) on September 14 at Udalguri; most trees planted in one hour on September 15 in Dibrugarh; largest planted tree mosaic on September 16 at Digboi, most trees planted by a team of 100 in an hour on September 17 in Sivasagar; largest photo album of people planting trees on September 17; most pledge taken to plant trees and to protect them and largest nature conservation lesson in online mode (7500 persons connected) on September 11,” the Assam Chief Minister said.

He further said that Rs 47 crore will be spent for this and this initiative will promote the Tree Economy in the state and will attract new investment in the wood-based industry sector as over Rs 5000 crore is expected to be added to the state economy over a period of next 5-10 years from the trees planted under the programme.

“Incentives of Rs 100 per beneficiary will be paid via Direct Benefit Transfer mode on the plantation of the seedlings and a follow-up incentive of Rs 200 per beneficiary to be paid on uploading time-stamped and geotagged photographs of surviving trees after two years. 1.46 crore seedlings of 53 commercially valuable species have been mobilized of which 1.17 crore seedlings have been mobilized via competitive bidding. The Assam government, through the launch of Assam Green Mission, has set out a goal of increasing green cover of the state by 2 per cent i.e. from 36 per cent to 38 per cent over a span of five years,” Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said.