Dr. Jitendra Singh Plants Sapling in Jammu for Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam
Synopsis
On World Environment Day 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh planted a sapling in his mother's name at Jammu's Convention Centre under PM Modi's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, urging citizens to join the national afforestation drive.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh participated in the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign on 5 June 2026 at the Convention Centre, Jammu .
The campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day 2024 to promote nationwide afforestation through public participation.
The initiative encourages citizens to plant a tree and dedicate it to their mother, combining cultural sentiment with environmental goals.
The minister called on the public to join the campaign and advance the resolve for environmental conservation.
State-level plantation data and survival audits from the 2026 drive are expected later in the year.
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh participated in the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign on World Environment Day, 5 June 2026, planting a sapling in his mother's name at the Convention Centre, Jammu. The minister posted about the event on X, calling it an honour to be part of the initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Context
In his post, Dr. Jitendra Singh wrote — translated from Hindi — 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' ('One Tree in Mother's Name'): 'On the occasion of World Environment Day, I had the privilege of planting a sapling in my mother's name at the Convention Centre in Jammu, under the campaign initiated by honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.' He added a call to action: 'Let us all become part of this inspiring campaign and carry forward this resolve for environmental conservation.'
The post was accompanied by a video from the Jammu event, offering a visual record of the minister's participation.
Policy Backdrop
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign on World Environment Day in June 2024, urging every Indian to plant a tree and dedicate it to their mother. The campaign was designed to harness public sentiment and cultural attachment to drive mass afforestation across the country.
The initiative sits within a broader national framework that includes the National Mission for a Green India, one of the eight missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change. Successive governments have used 5 June — the UN-designated World Environment Day — as a focal point for high-visibility plantation drives aimed at meeting forest-cover targets and honouring India's international climate commitments.
The maternal dedication angle distinguishes this campaign from standard afforestation messaging, embedding the environmental goal within a deeply familiar cultural value system to encourage wider public participation beyond institutional actors.
Stakeholders and Impact
The campaign mobilises citizens, state environment departments, and elected representatives as simultaneous participants, collapsing the usual distance between policymaker and public. When a Union Minister plants a sapling on camera, it signals to state administrations and party workers that visible participation is expected at every level of government.
Jammu and Kashmir, where Dr. Jitendra Singh holds his parliamentary constituency, has been a recurring site of environment-related events involving the minister. Community groups and residents in Jammu are among the direct stakeholders who engage with such plantation drives at the local level.
What's Next
State environment departments are expected to compile district-level data on saplings planted during the 2026 World Environment Day cycle, with survival audits anticipated later in the year. The monsoon session of Parliament may see questions on the cumulative scale of the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign since its launch in 2024.
As India moves closer to its stated goal of bringing one-third of its geographical area under forest and tree cover, campaigns that combine symbolic action with measurable plantation targets will remain a central plank of the government's public environment strategy.
Point of View
The minister simultaneously performs civic duty, reinforces party messaging, and signals administrative seriousness about green targets. The campaign, now in its second year, is testing whether symbolic momentum can translate into verifiable forest-cover gains — a question that parliamentary scrutiny and survival audits will eventually force into the open. The maternal framing remains the campaign's most distinctive political asset, setting it apart from earlier, less emotionally resonant plantation drives.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign?
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, meaning 'One Tree in Mother's Name', is a national tree plantation campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day in June 2024, urging every Indian to plant a sapling and dedicate it to their mother as a gesture combining environmental conservation with cultural sentiment.
Why did Dr. Jitendra Singh plant a tree in Jammu on 5 June 2026?
Dr. Jitendra Singh planted a sapling at the Convention Centre in Jammu on 5 June 2026 to mark World Environment Day and to participate in the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, dedicating the tree to his mother in line with the campaign's central appeal.
When was the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign launched?
The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2024 on the occasion of World Environment Day.
What is World Environment Day and when is it observed?
World Environment Day is a global observance designated by the United Nations and held every year on 5 June to promote awareness and action for environmental protection.
How does India's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign connect to its climate goals?
The campaign supports India's broader afforestation targets under the National Mission for a Green India and the country's international climate commitments, using public participation and cultural motivation to increase forest and tree cover across the country.
