Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday, 5 June planted a Palash sapling at his official residence in New Delhi, marking World Environment Day as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. The minister called tree plantation the 'most effective way to protect Mother Earth' and urged every citizen to join the initiative.

What Scindia Said

'Tree plantation is the most effective way to protect Mother Earth; this public pledge, taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, will certainly succeed,' Scindia said in a statement to the press.

He emphasised that the campaign transcends a mere plantation drive. 'This campaign is not limited to tree plantation alone; it also symbolises our sensitivity towards nature, motherhood, and the environment,' he added.

Scindia also stressed that conservation is a shared civic responsibility: 'Environmental conservation is not merely the responsibility of governments but a shared duty of every citizen. A sapling planted today lays the foundation for a secure future for generations to come.'

About the Campaign

The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 June 2024, coinciding with World Environment Day. The initiative urges citizens to plant a tree in the name of their mother, weaving environmental responsibility into the emotional fabric of the mother-child bond.

The campaign aims to expand green cover, promote sustainable lifestyles, and transform environmental conservation into a grassroots people's movement. According to reports, crores of saplings were planted across the country during the first phase in 2024.

Phase 2.0 and Scale-Up

Building on that momentum, 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0' was launched this year to further scale up the drive. Scindia noted that the campaign has received widespread public support since its inception and is steadily evolving into a mass movement.

Notably, the choice of the Palash sapling — a native Indian flowering tree — carries symbolic weight, reflecting a deliberate preference for indigenous species that support local biodiversity.

Broader Significance

The campaign's framing — linking the act of planting a tree to honouring one's mother — represents an attempt to give environmental conservation a personal, emotional dimension that purely policy-driven messaging often lacks. This comes amid growing concern over urban heat islands, declining forest cover, and climate-linked extreme weather events across India.

As Phase 2.0 gathers pace, the government's ability to sustain participation beyond symbolic gestures and translate sapling counts into measurable green-cover gains will determine the campaign's long-term impact.