India, Feb. 3 -- The Maharashtra government on Monday decided to set up the Green Maharashtra Authority (GMA) with an eye on increasing forest cover in the state from 20% to 33%, to address climate change-related concerns. Under Mission Green Maharashtra, three billion indigenous trees will be planted across the state over the next five years, starting with 200 million trees this year, said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The chief minister was addressing a meeting where the decision to set up the GMA was taken. The authority must be set up February 17, during the Mumbai climate week, and a geographic information system (GIS) based land bank must be readied by March-end, Fadnavis ordered.

Presently, the area under forest cover in Maha...