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Ahmedabad, Oct 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Gujarat’s ongoing initiatives to conserve environment and promote Green India, with special focus on the Kutch region.
The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts to protect and nurture trees and plants and urged citizens to actively participate in expanding these initiatives across the State.
Highlighting specific projects, PM Modi noted the rapid progress of the mangrove plantation drive in the Kori Creek area. He also mentioned the establishment of the Mangrove Learning Centre, designed to strengthen local efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development.
Emphasizing the widespread importance of greenery, the Prime Minister remarked that trees and plants, no matter where they grow, contribute to the well-being of all living beings and play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.
Through his address, PM Modi reinforced the message that citizen participation is important for protecting ecosystems, tackling climate change and building a sustainable future, and encouraged every individual to contribute to India’s green initiatives.
Gujarat has emerged as a national leader in environmental protection, implementing multifaceted strategies in coastal protection, renewable energy and ecosystem restoration.
The state has significantly expanded its mangrove area, with over 19,000 hectares afforested under the Central Government’s MISHTI scheme. The initiative has made Gujarat a national leader, with 19,020 hectares being afforested in just two years, increasing the state’s mangrove area to 1,175 square kilometers – the second largest in India after the Sundarbans.
Gujarat has become India’s leader in renewable energy capacity with a total installed capacity of 51,869 MW by October 2024, which includes 19,421.89 MW from solar energy and 13,514.68 MW from wind energy.
The state’s Renewable Energy Policy-2023 encourages small-scale projects, offering fixed tariffs and streamlined clearances to facilitate growth in the sector. To tackle plastic pollution, Gujarat has conducted extensive beach clean-up campaigns.
On International Coastal Cleanup Day, more than 51,500 kg of garbage was collected and scientifically disposed at 10 coastal sites including Dwarka, Shivrajpur and Dumas. These efforts are supported by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, local municipalities, forest officials, NGOs and industries, with an emphasis on citizen participation and responsible waste disposal.
–IANS
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