The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km).
Additional Secretary under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, G Asok Kumar was appointed as the new Director-General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma conferred the state's highest civilian award "Assam Baibhav" upon eminent Indian industrialist Ratan Tata at a function held in Taj Wellington Mews in Koloba, Mumbai.
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Swachhata Start-Up Challenge to encourage innovative start-ups to transform the sanitation and waste management sector.