CM Nayab Saini Plants Saplings at 77th Van Mahotsav in Karnal

Key Takeaways

CM Nayab Saini participated in the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav in Karnal on 30 July 2026 .

The event was held under PM Narendra Modi 's national campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' , launched in 2024 .

Saini administered a public oath urging residents to plant saplings, care for them, and actively support environmental conservation.

Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting festival first organised in 1950 by Union Minister K.

The Chief Minister called on all Haryana residents to participate in the campaign to make the state greener and more prosperous.

A tree planted in a mother's honour — that was the message Chief Minister Nayab Saini carried to Karnal on Thursday, 30 July 2026, as Haryana marked its 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav with a public pledge to green the state.

Saini led a tree-plantation drive under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' ('One Tree in Mother's Name'), using the occasion to administer a public oath — urging those present to plant as many saplings as possible, care for them, and contribute actively to environmental conservation. The Chief Minister also called on the people of Haryana to join this mass movement in large numbers and help make the state 'greener and more prosperous.'

'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' — Modi's campaign finds a state-level stage

Prime Minister Modi launched 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' in 2024 as a nationwide call to citizens to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers, weaving an emotional thread through what might otherwise be a routine afforestation drive. By anchoring the 77th Van Mahotsav to this campaign, Haryana elevated a state ceremony into a chapter of a larger national story. Van Mahotsav itself has deep roots. First organised in 1950 by then Union Minister K. M. Munshi, the annual tree-planting festival has run unbroken for over seven decades, making it one of India's oldest environmental traditions. The 77th edition in Karnal continues that lineage — now supercharged by the prime-time visibility of a central government campaign.

Haryana's green pledge — and what follows

The public oath administered by Saini is the visible centrepiece, but the harder work begins after the cameras leave. Haryana's forest department and state residents are the real stakeholders in whether planted saplings survive and grow into meaningful green cover. The broader pattern across Indian states is familiar: high-profile plantation events generate momentum, but follow-through on sapling survival rates and long-term forest-cover targets determines actual environmental impact. For Haryana — a state that straddles the semi-arid plains of the Indo-Gangetic belt — expanding green cover carries real ecological weight, from moderating summer heat to improving groundwater recharge. The oath taken in Karnal today is only as good as the roots that take hold tomorrow.

Point of View

The Haryana government signals a deliberate alignment between state environmental programming and the BJP's central narrative on ecological citizenship. The public oath format — a Saini trademark at mass events — converts a ceremonial plantation into a participatory commitment, lending the drive grassroots optics ahead of any future state elections. Whether this translates into measurable gains in Haryana's forest cover will depend on post-event monitoring, a gap that has historically undermined similar drives across Indian states. The event also reinforces Karnal's emerging role as a preferred stage for high-visibility state government announcements.

NationPress

30 Jul 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Van Mahotsav and why is it celebrated?

Van Mahotsav is India's annual tree-planting festival, first organised in 1950 by Union Minister K. M. Munshi to promote afforestation. It is observed every year across states to encourage mass participation in increasing green cover.

What is the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign?

'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' ('One Tree in Mother's Name') is a national campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024 , encouraging citizens to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers as part of a broader environmental drive.

Where was Haryana's 77th Van Mahotsav held?

The 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav was held in Karnal , Haryana, on 30 July 2026 .

What did CM Nayab Saini do at the Van Mahotsav event?

Chief Minister Nayab Saini planted saplings and administered a public oath to those present, urging them to plant more trees, care for them, and contribute actively to environmental conservation.

Why does Haryana participate in Van Mahotsav?

Haryana participates in Van Mahotsav as part of both state and central government efforts to increase green cover and promote public participation in conservation — particularly significant given the state's semi-arid geography.