The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a state-level tree plantation drive and public outreach programme at Garudabaz Maidan, Almora, on the occasion of the traditional Harela festival. The event, organised under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One Tree in Mother's Name) campaign, also featured the 'Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar, Jan-Jan Ke Dwar' (Government for All, at Everyone's Doorstep) outreach initiative, drawing elected representatives, officials and large numbers of local residents.

Context

Harela is a traditional Kumaoni festival observed in the month of Shravan (July), rooted in the reverence for nature and the onset of the monsoon sowing season. The festival has long been associated with the symbolic planting of saplings and collective environmental pledges in the hill communities of Uttarakhand. State governments have increasingly formalised Harela as a platform for large-scale plantation drives over the past decade.

CM Dhami planted a sapling at the event and called on every citizen to plant at least one tree and commit to nurturing it. He said, 'Harela kewal ek parv nahin, balki prakriti ke prati hamari aastha, samvedanshilta aur uttardayitva ka pratik hai' — 'Harela is not merely a festival, but a symbol of our faith, sensitivity and responsibility towards nature.' He added that if people take responsibility for the saplings they plant, future generations can be provided a safe and green environment.

Policy Backdrop

The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign was launched nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024 as part of India's broader environmental outreach, encouraging individuals to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers. Uttarakhand has integrated the campaign into its annual Harela observance, amplifying both the cultural and ecological messaging simultaneously.

CM Dhami also cited a cluster of legislative milestones during his address, stating that the state government had enacted the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a strict anti-conversion law, and a stringent anti-cheating law — framing these as steps to protect Uttarakhand's cultural identity and secure the future of its youth. He noted that the government had completed five years of what it describes as 'Seva, Sushasan aur Samarpan' (Service, Good Governance and Dedication).

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta, who was present at the event, said that under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Dhami, Uttarakhand was achieving new milestones in road, rail, digital connectivity, health, education and tourism. He cited the 'double engine government' framework as the driver of expanding basic infrastructure in hill regions.

Stakeholders and Impact

Cabinet Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat said Uttarakhand had set new records in development over the past five years, citing progress in sustainable development goals, per capita income, education, health, employment and infrastructure. Jageshwar MLA Mohan Singh Mehra highlighted CM Dhami's repeated visits to the Jageshwar assembly constituency as evidence of his commitment to its development.

CM Dhami made several development announcements specifically for the Jageshwar assembly constituency, reaffirming the government's resolve for its comprehensive development. The Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar, Jan-Jan Ke Dwar programme saw stalls set up by multiple government departments at the venue, through which a large number of residents accessed welfare schemes and services directly. The stated objective is to deliver the benefits of development and welfare programmes to the last person in the queue.

Also present were Ranikhet MLA Dr Pramod Nainwal, Mayor of Almora Ajay Verma, District Magistrate Anshul Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police Chandrashekhar R Ghodke, and senior officials from the state secretariat and forest department, among many others.

What's Next

The Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar, Jan-Jan Ke Dwar campaign is being rolled out across Uttarakhand as a state-wide initiative to bring government services directly to citizens, with further district-level outreach camps expected in the coming weeks. The integration of cultural festivals like Harela with plantation drives and welfare delivery camps signals a continued pattern of combining environmental messaging with on-ground governance outreach ahead of the state's development calendar. The specific development announcements made for the Jageshwar constituency are expected to translate into project tenders and implementation timelines in the near term.