India's forest cover and wildlife are growing, says PM Modi on World Environment Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's forest cover had grown by over 20,000 sq km in the last eight years. Wildlife has also seen growth in the country. He was speaking at a programme on the 'Save Soil Movement' on World Environment Day.

He added that India achieved the target of 10% ethanol blending in petrol five months before the deadline. The rise in ethanol blending in petrol from 2% in 2014 to 10% now. This has reduced carbon emission by 27 lakh tonnes and saved Rs 41,000 crores of forex reserve. He added that the positive change has brought an additional income of Rs 40,000 crore to farmers.

India has been taking multi-dimensional efforts even though the country has a negligible role in climate change, said the PM.

Be it the Swachh Bharat Mission or programs related to waste to wealth, the construction of modern sewage treatment plants in cities under the AMRUT mission, the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, or the Ganga cleanliness campaign under Namami Gange, India's efforts to protect the environment have been multifaceted, he added.

The 'Save Soil Movement' is a global initiative to increase awareness about deteriorating soil quality. The programme aims to bring a conscious response to improve soil health. It was started in March by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and June 5 marks the 75th day of the journey.

Speaking at the event organised by Isha Foundation, PM Modi said all the policies introduced by the Centre have protected the environment in some way. He was hosting a session on 'crafting a conscious planet'.