Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil on Monday, 15 June 2026 shared a glimpse of a grand tree-plantation event held under the third edition of the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, signalling continued government momentum behind the nationwide afforestation drive.

Context

Paatil posted a video on X captioned 'एक पेड़ मा के नाम "3.0" अभियान के अंतर्गत आयोजित भव्य वृक्षारोपण कार्यक्रम की एक झलक' — translated as: 'A glimpse of the grand tree-plantation programme organised under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0 campaign.' The post offered a visual window into what the minister described as a large-scale planting event, without specifying the venue.

The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (One Tree in Mother's Name) campaign was first launched nationally in 2024 as a citizen-led initiative encouraging Indians to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers. The current 3.0 edition represents the campaign's third successive phase, reflecting the government's intent to institutionalise mass plantation as an annual civic ritual.

Policy Backdrop

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has consistently woven afforestation into its broader water-conservation mandate, recognising that tree cover plays a direct role in groundwater recharge, watershed protection, and river rejuvenation — all priorities under the ministry's remit. Large-scale plantation drives organised around the monsoon season are a recurring feature of this approach, allowing saplings to benefit from natural rainfall and improving survival rates.

Successive editions of the campaign have been used to aggregate cumulative plantation numbers and to galvanise state governments, local bodies, and civil-society groups into organising parallel events. The 3.0 phase continues that pattern, with the Ministry expected to report total saplings planted and survival data once the season concludes.

Stakeholders and Impact

The campaign's design is deliberately participatory: ordinary citizens, schoolchildren, resident welfare associations, and local volunteers are the primary actors, with ministers and officials lending visibility through public appearances and social-media outreach. By framing the act of planting as a personal tribute to one's mother, the campaign attempts to convert an environmental obligation into an emotional, culturally resonant gesture.

For the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the optics of a 'grand' event reinforce the ministry's positioning at the intersection of water security and ecological stewardship. State governments that align their plantation targets with the campaign can also claim credit under centrally monitored afforestation metrics, creating a shared incentive structure.

What's Next

Observers will watch for official disclosures on the total number of saplings planted under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0, as well as any announcements linking campaign outcomes to state forest targets or Jal Jeevan Mission watershed goals. The monsoon window — typically June through September — is the critical period for plantation survival, and the government is likely to release progress updates before the season ends. Whether the 3.0 edition sets a new benchmark for public participation will shape how the campaign is scaled in future years.