CM Bhajan Lal plants saplings in Kekri under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma visited the Kekri assembly constituency in Ajmer district on Saturday, 11 July 2026, where he participated in a tree plantation drive under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One Tree in Mother's Name) campaign and reaffirmed the state government's commitment to the Hariyalo Rajasthan initiative.
Context
Sharma, posting on X in Hindi, expressed gratitude for the warm reception by party workers and local residents in Kekri. He wrote: 'Aaj Kekri Vidhan Sabha kshetra pahunchne par devatulya karyakartaon evam sthaniya janata dwara mile apar sneh, aatmiya swagat aur samman ke liye aap sabhi ka hriday se aabhar' — 'I offer heartfelt thanks to all of you for the immense affection, warm welcome, and honour bestowed by the devoted workers and local public upon my arrival in the Kekri assembly constituency today.'
The visit included a tree plantation activity as part of the national Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign. Rajasthan BJP state president Madan Rathore and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Chaudhary were among the dignitaries present at the event.
Policy Backdrop
The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024, calling on citizens across India to plant trees as a tribute to their mothers and to contribute to expanding the country's green cover. The campaign has since been adopted by BJP-governed states as a recurring feature of public outreach programmes.
Hariyalo Rajasthan is the state-level afforestation initiative under which Sharma's government has been channelling plantation activities, particularly during the monsoon season when survival rates for saplings are higher. The drive aligns with India's broader commitments under the Green India Mission and the country's pledged targets on carbon sequestration under international climate frameworks.
Stakeholders and Impact
The immediate beneficiaries of the plantation drive are residents of Kekri and surrounding areas in Ajmer district, where increased green cover can mitigate the region's semi-arid conditions. For the BJP's Rajasthan unit, such constituency visits double as grassroots outreach, reinforcing the party's organisational presence ahead of future electoral cycles.
Sharma urged all residents of Rajasthan to plant at least one sapling each in the interest of building a 'green, clean, and prosperous Rajasthan.' The appeal echoes a pattern seen across BJP-governed states, where environmental campaigns are integrated into the routine calendar of ministerial visits and public programmes.
What's Next
The Rajasthan forest department is expected to report on cumulative plantation numbers and sapling survival rates under Hariyalo Rajasthan as the 2026 monsoon season progresses. State-level participation targets for the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign during this season will be a key metric for assessing the programme's on-ground reach. Continued constituency visits by the Chief Minister through the monsoon months are likely to feature similar environmental messaging.