The Maharashtra Forest Policy 2008 aims at raising forest cover in the state to a minimum of 33% (101.54 lakh hectares) of total land, as per the recommendations of the Planning Commission and the National Forest Policy, 1988. At present, the forest area in the state is around 20 per cent. Of this 56 per cent is in Vidarbha, five per cent in Marathwada and 39 per cent in western Maharashtra. As part of the policy, Maharashtra is plannning on becoming the first state in the country to levy a green tax to encourage forest development.