The forest coverage in India has increased by 1 percent over the past five years, the country's Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has said.

"Similar progress will be possible in the coming five years through people's participation," Javadekar said during an interaction with the media.

Calling upon people to plant tree saplings, he said, "when compared with the amount of oxygen we consume in a lifetime, all of us must plant and help grow at least 10 trees."

Earlier, the minister had launched a people's campaign "Selfie with Sapling" on the eve of Environment Day, urging everyone to plant a sapling and to post the selfie with the sapling on social media.