Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar Saturday said "capita happiness" was as important as "capita income" when it came to evaluating the progress of a country.
Speaking at a meeting with owners of multiplexes and single-screen theatres and film personalities on the state government's plan to plant 33 crore trees, Mungantiwar, also minister of forests, claimed satisfaction and happiness in people was the real wealth of a nation.
The meeting, attended by MLA Mangalprabhat Lodha, Principal Secretary (Forests) Vikas Kharage among others, also saw Mungantiwar emphasise the need to plant more trees.
He asked theatre owners to play videos encouraging tree plantation during every film show.
"While evaluating the progress of the country, the concept of capita happiness is as important as capita income.
Satisfaction and happiness in people must be considered real wealth," he told the gathering.
"If there are no forests, then there is no joy in life. Hence, forest is life," he stressed.
He asked people to join the state government's "harit sena" (green army) to contribute in forest conservation and animal protection, adding that, so far, 61 lakh people had chosen to do so.
