CM Sai Flags Off Tree ATM in Jashpur Under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam
Synopsis
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai launched a Tree ATM in Jashpur's Bagiya on 16 July 2026, dispensing free saplings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign to boost monsoon-season plantation and citizen tree-care awareness across Chhattisgarh.
Key Takeaways
CM Vishnu Deo Sai flagged off the Tree ATM in Bagiya, Jashpur on 16 July 2026 .
The machine dispenses free saplings of multiple species, including Indian gooseberry ( aavla ), without requiring a nursery visit.
The initiative operates under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One Tree in Mother's Name) national campaign.
CM Sai praised the Chhattisgarh Forest Department and noted the monsoon season as the optimal planting window.
The Tree ATM model aims to decentralise sapling distribution and raise awareness about post-planting tree care.
Rollout of additional units in other Chhattisgarh districts is being watched as the next step.
The Chief Minister's Office of Chhattisgarh announced on Thursday, 16 July 2026, that Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai flagged off a 'Tree ATM' in Bagiya, Jashpur, personally receiving an Indian gooseberry (aavla) sapling from the machine and distributing saplings to those present.
Context
The Tree ATM initiative is part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One Tree in Mother's Name) mass campaign, which uses the emotional resonance of planting a tree as a tribute to one's mother to drive public participation in afforestation. CM Sai praised the Chhattisgarh Forest Department for the innovation, calling the monsoon season 'the most suitable time for plantation' — vrishti ritu paudharopan ke liye sabse upyukt samay hai.
The Tree ATM functions as an automated sapling-dispensing unit, making free plants of multiple species easily accessible to citizens without requiring a visit to a forest nursery. The machine at Bagiya is designed to simultaneously raise awareness about tree care and survival after planting.
Policy Backdrop
Chhattisgarh holds one of India's larger shares of forest cover and has run monsoon plantation drives under the Van Mahotsav tradition since the 1950s. The Tree ATM model represents a technology-assisted evolution of that tradition, decentralising sapling distribution to boost both reach and citizen ownership of planted trees.
Comparable automated or kiosk-based distribution pilots have emerged in other Indian states as governments seek to improve sapling survival rates by embedding community responsibility from the point of collection. The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign adds a personal, cultural dimension intended to raise long-term care of each planted sapling.
Stakeholders and Impact
Local communities in Jashpur — a northern Chhattisgarh district with significant tribal population and existing forest cover — are the immediate beneficiaries. Free, doorstep-accessible saplings lower the barrier for households and individuals who may not otherwise participate in formal plantation drives.
The Chhattisgarh Forest Department is the implementing agency. By routing distribution through the Tree ATM, the department aims to reduce logistical bottlenecks and generate wider participation beyond organised government events. The campaign's awareness component is expected to improve the share of saplings that survive beyond the first monsoon.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to whether the state rolls out additional Tree ATM units across other districts during the current monsoon window. Sapling survival rates tracked over the coming months will be a key indicator of whether the community-ownership model delivers measurable gains in Chhattisgarh's green cover beyond the plantation event itself.
Point of View
Shifting from top-down plantation events to citizen-led, on-demand sapling access. Anchoring the drive under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam — a campaign with strong emotional branding — gives the Forest Department a ready-made public hook that transcends routine government outreach. For a state with substantial existing forest cover, the real policy test is not the number of saplings dispensed but survival rates, which automated distribution alone cannot guarantee. Whether Chhattisgarh publishes verifiable survival data will determine if the Tree ATM becomes a replicable model or remains a high-visibility monsoon gesture.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Tree ATM in Chhattisgarh?
A Tree ATM is an automated machine installed by the Chhattisgarh Forest Department that dispenses free saplings of various species to citizens on demand, removing the need to visit a government nursery.
Where was the Tree ATM launched by CM Vishnu Deo Sai?
The Tree ATM was launched in Bagiya, located in the Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh, on 16 July 2026.
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign?
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam — meaning 'One Tree in Mother's Name' — is a public-participation plantation campaign that encourages citizens to plant and nurture a tree as a tribute to their mother, aiming to boost both planting numbers and long-term tree care.
Which sapling did CM Sai personally receive from the Tree ATM?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai personally received an Indian gooseberry, known as aavla, from the Tree ATM during the launch event in Bagiya, Jashpur.
Will more Tree ATMs be set up in other districts of Chhattisgarh?
The state government has indicated broader rollout is envisaged, but specific districts and timelines for additional Tree ATM units had not been officially confirmed as of the launch on 16 July 2026.
