New Delhi, August 15: In his address on the occasion of 74th Independence Day of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced two projects, Project Lion and Project Dolphin, to preserve the biodiversity of the nation.

He also said that a special campaign is being worked out with a holistic approach to reduce pollution in 100 selected cities of the country. Also Read | Gujarat Rains | Bus Being Pulled by Locals Using Ropes After it Got Stuck On Waterlogged Road in Dwarka: Live Breaking News Headlines & Coronavirus Updates on August 15, 2020.

"India is among the few nations where the forest cover is increasing. India is fully sensitive to the preservation and promotion of its biodiversity. In the recent past, the tiger population has increased at a rapid pace in the country! Now a Project Lion for our Asiatic lions is also going to start in the country," said the Prime Minister.

He said the new Project Dolphin will focus on both river and the sea dolphins. It will not only strengthen the biodiversity of the nation but also attract tourism and generate jobs. Also Read | Indian Army Refutes Social Media Posts Claiming Large Gatherings Organised at Certain Military Stations on Independence Day 2020.

"A special campaign is also being worked on with a holistic approach to reduce pollution in 100 selected cities of the country," the Prime Minister added. He said that India is not just conscious but capable of tackling the problem of pollution. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana, movement to promote the use of LED bulbs are some of the initiatives towards green India.

The Prime Minister also said that India has made its place in the top five nations in the use of renewable energy. Stressing on balanced development, he said, "The picture of development looks different at different places in our country. Some areas are far ahead, some areas are far behind. Some districts are far ahead, some districts are far behind. This unbalanced development is a big challenge for self-reliant India."

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