Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the ongoing mega tree plantation drive in the state will help increase green cover and boost the local economy.

He also said the Amrit Brikshya Andolan, which will witness the plantation of one crore saplings across the state this year, will undertake planting three crore seedlings next year. Talking to reporters at a sapling distribution venue here, Sarma said the drive will be expanded in 2024 and three crore saplings will be planted.

“As saplings are being planted in non-forest areas, it will help increase green cover. Also, we are distributing saplings of trees with commercial value and this will help boost the local economy,” he said.

Sarma said attempts to create nine world records during the mega plantation exercise are also on the right track.

A 22-km line made with 3.5 lakh saplings was launched here on Saturday at the first event for creating a Guinness World Record for tree plantation by Assam environment and forest minister Chandramohan Patowary.

“Today, the saplings were distributed and through this, we are making an attempt to create a record of the highest number of seedlings distributed at a single venue,” the chief minister said.

The drive will culminate on September 17 with the plantation of one crore saplings. Among the other records to be attempted are the highest participation in an online course on environmental issues and tree plantation, the maximum number of plantations by a single group in a single venue and the highest number of plantations in 24 hours.