Gujarat plants 10,000+ saplings across 289 ITIs in statewide green drive
Synopsis
Gujarat planted over 10,000 saplings across all 289 Government ITIs in a single day, with Labour Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya leading the charge at Gandhinagar. The scale of simultaneous rollout — linking skill development institutions with environmental conservation — sets this apart from routine plantation events.
Key Takeaways
More than 10,000 saplings were planted across 289 Government ITIs in Gujarat on 6 August .
The drive was jointly organised by Gujarat's Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department and the Forest Department .
Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya led the event at Government ITI, Gandhinagar .
Gandhinagar Mayor Mira Patel and Gandhinagar North MLA Rita Patel were among senior attendees.
Officials emphasised nurturing planted saplings for long-term environmental sustainability, not just the plantation count.
More than 10,000 saplings were planted across 289 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Gujarat on 6 August, as the state's Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department joined hands with the Forest Department to roll out a simultaneous statewide tree plantation drive. The initiative marked a deliberate effort to embed environmental responsibility within vocational training institutions.
Minister Leads Drive at ITI Gandhinagar
Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya personally participated in the campaign at the Government ITI, Gandhinagar, planting a sapling alongside elected representatives, departmental officials, staff, and trainees. The Gandhinagar event drew a cross-section of civic and administrative leadership, signalling the government's intent to position this as more than a symbolic exercise.
Among those present were Gandhinagar Mayor Mira Patel, Gandhinagar North MLA Rita Patel, public representative Ashish Dave, Director of Employment and Training A.K. Vastani, Additional Director Rathva, Joint Secretary Tejas Soni, Deputy Directors M.R. Purani and Dhruti Joshi, and ITI Gandhinagar Principal Mansi Teraiya.
What the Minister Said
Addressing the gathering after the plantation, Minister Bavaliya stressed the urgency of environmental action. 'Planting more trees and properly caring for them is the need of the hour to tackle rising pollution and global warming,' he said.
Bavaliya also called on young trainees to see environmental stewardship as inseparable from their professional development, urging citizens not merely to plant saplings but to nurture and protect them for long-term ecological benefit.
Scale and Significance of the Drive
The simultaneous rollout across all 289 Government ITIs in the state is notable for its scale and coordination. By routing the drive through vocational training institutions, the departments aimed to reach a demographic — young, skill-focused learners — that does not always feature prominently in conventional environmental campaigns.
This comes amid a broader national push to expand green cover, with states increasingly integrating plantation drives into institutional calendars. Gujarat's approach of linking the Forest Department with the Labour and Skill Development apparatus reflects a cross-departmental model that other states have begun replicating.
What Comes Next
Officials indicated that ensuring the survival and proper care of the planted saplings — rather than the plantation count alone — would be the measure of the drive's success. The departments are expected to monitor growth outcomes at participating ITIs as part of the state's wider environmental conservation agenda.
Point of View
Or whether the 10,000 figure becomes the headline and the trees become a footnote.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trees were planted in Gujarat's ITI drive on 6 August?
More than 10,000 saplings were planted on 6 August across 289 Government Industrial Training Institutes in Gujarat. The drive was conducted simultaneously at all participating ITIs on the same day.
Which departments organised the Gujarat ITI tree plantation drive?
The drive was jointly organised by Gujarat's Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department and the Forest Department. The two departments coordinated to roll out the campaign across all 289 Government ITIs in the state.
Who led the tree plantation event at ITI Gandhinagar?
Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya led the event at Government ITI Gandhinagar, planting a sapling alongside Mayor Mira Patel, MLA Rita Patel, and senior departmental officials.
Why were ITIs chosen as the venues for this plantation drive?
ITIs were chosen to combine environmental awareness with vocational training institutions, reaching young skill-development learners. Officials said the initiative was aimed at encouraging a sense of environmental responsibility among trainees alongside their professional training.
What is the government's focus beyond the plantation numbers?
Officials stressed that nurturing and protecting the planted saplings — rather than the count alone — would determine the drive's long-term success. The departments are expected to monitor sapling growth outcomes at participating ITIs as part of Gujarat's broader environmental conservation efforts.
