Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the 'Beej Sanjivani Abhiyan' (Seed Revival Campaign) in Haridwar on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, on the occasion of the Aam Mahotsav (Mango Festival), calling on citizens across the state to plant fruit seeds instead of discarding them.

Context

The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced the launch via an official post, stating that CM Dhami personally planted seeds of mango, jamun (Indian blackberry), jackfruit, neem, and bael to mark the beginning of the campaign. The initiative was unveiled at the Aam Mahotsav event in Haridwar, a city with deep ecological and cultural significance along the banks of the Ganga.

The Chief Minister appealed directly to residents: 'Anyone who eats mango, jamun, jackfruit, bael, or any other fruit should plant the seeds in a safe place rather than throwing them away, so that more trees can grow in the future and environmental conservation can be promoted.'

Policy Backdrop

The Beej Sanjivani Abhiyan is framed as a people's movement (janaandolan) rooted in public participation (janbhagidari), with the stated goal of expanding the state's green cover through natural seed propagation rather than top-down plantation drives alone. The campaign is positioned as a complement to the Harit Haridwar Abhiyan (Green Haridwar Campaign), which the state government has been advancing as part of its broader environmental agenda.

Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state, is ecologically sensitive and has faced recurring concerns around deforestation, forest fires, and biodiversity loss. Citizen-led greening efforts have historically been part of the state's identity, tracing back to the Chipko Movement of the 1970s, which originated in the region and became a landmark in Indian environmental history.

Stakeholders and Impact

CM Dhami specifically called upon residents, youth, students, voluntary organisations, and various institutions across Uttarakhand to actively participate and plant as many seeds as possible. The campaign is designed to be low-barrier — requiring no special equipment or funding, only the habit of saving and planting seeds from everyday fruit consumption.

The initiative is expected to contribute to biodiversity conservation, environmental balance, and the creation of a cleaner, greener environment for future generations, according to the official statement. By starting in Haridwar — a high-footfall pilgrimage city — the campaign gains immediate visibility and the potential to reach a large, diverse cross-section of the population.

What's Next

The Chief Minister confirmed that the Beej Sanjivani Abhiyan, launched from Haridwar, will be extended as a janaandolan (people's movement) across the entire state of Uttarakhand. He expressed confidence that the campaign, driven by public participation, will take the form of an effective mass movement in the direction of environmental protection.

If the campaign achieves broad uptake among the state's citizens and institutions, it could serve as a replicable model for other Himalayan and hill states grappling with similar ecological pressures — establishing Uttarakhand as a reference point for community-driven afforestation.