Shivraj plants sapling daily, calls public to join Aug 12 drive
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan continued his daily tree-plantation pledge in New Delhi on 3 August 2026, planting a sapling with party workers and urging citizens to join a large-scale Hariyali Amavasya drive on 12 August via a missed-call registration.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi on 3 August 2026 as part of a daily personal pledge under #OnePlantADay .
He called on citizens to plant as many trees as possible and dedicate themselves to serving nature and the environment.
A large-scale plantation drive is scheduled for 12 August 2026 on the occasion of Hariyali Amavasya .
Citizens can register participation by giving a missed call to 8929629475 .
India's afforestation tradition dates to Van Mahotsav , launched in 1950 , and Chouhan's campaign adds a daily personal accountability layer to that legacy.
One plant a day — that is the quiet pledge Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has turned into a daily ritual. On Monday, 3 August 2026, he stepped out in New Delhi with party workers to plant a sapling, keeping alive a personal commitment he has been honouring every single day.
Posting on X under the hashtag #OnePlantADay, Chouhan wrote: 'प्रतिदिन पौधरोपण के संकल्प के क्रम में आज नई दिल्ली में कार्यकर्ता साथियों के साथ पौधा रोपा' — 'In continuation of my daily pledge of tree plantation, I planted a sapling today in New Delhi with fellow workers.' He called on citizens to resolve to serve nature and the environment by planting as many trees as possible.
Hariyali Amavasya: a traditional date turned national call
The post carries a specific, time-bound ask: join a large-scale plantation drive on 12 August, the occasion of Hariyali Amavasya — a traditional festival observed in parts of India that has long been associated with tree planting and environmental conservation. Those wishing to participate are invited to give a missed call to 8929629475, a mobilisation method designed to lower the barrier for volunteers across income groups.
Hariyali Amavasya, falling on the new-moon day of the Shravan month in the Hindu calendar, carries cultural resonance in agricultural communities — making it a natural hook for a minister who oversees both farming and rural development. Tying a mass plantation event to the festival date is a deliberate bridge between tradition and policy.
Daily sapling, decades of national afforestation
India's afforestation tradition runs deep. Van Mahotsav, the national tree-planting festival, has been observed since 1950, and successive governments have layered campaigns on top of it. Chouhan's #OnePlantADay initiative follows that lineage but adds a personal, visible accountability — a minister planting every day, not just on designated dates.
As a former four-term Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan oversaw large-scale state-level plantation drives. His current role gives those efforts a national platform. The call to action on 12 August will test whether symbolic daily gestures can translate into measurable public participation.
Point of View
Every day, rather than merely announcing it. By anchoring the mass drive on Hariyali Amavasya, the campaign taps cultural legitimacy that a bureaucratic plantation target rarely commands. For the BJP, it also keeps a high-profile leader associated with a broadly popular, non-divisive cause ahead of what are likely to be busy political months. The real test is whether the missed-call mobilisation converts symbolic momentum into verifiable saplings in the ground.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hariyali Amavasya and why is it significant for tree planting?
Hariyali Amavasya is a traditional Hindu festival observed on the new-moon day of the Shravan month, associated with greenery and nature. It has long been used in agricultural communities to mark tree-planting drives, making it a culturally resonant date for environmental campaigns.
What is Shivraj Singh Chouhan's #OnePlantADay campaign?
#OnePlantADay is a personal pledge by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to plant at least one sapling every day. He has been carrying out the ritual publicly, often with party workers, to encourage citizens to adopt a similar daily habit.
How can I join the 12 August 2026 Hariyali Amavasya plantation drive?
According to Chouhan's post, interested participants can give a missed call to 8929629475 to register for the large-scale plantation campaign planned for 12 August 2026 .
What is India's history of national tree-planting campaigns?
India's formal afforestation tradition includes Van Mahotsav , a national tree-planting festival that has been observed since 1950 . Successive governments have built additional campaigns on this foundation to increase forest and tree cover as part of climate and environmental goals.
What is Shivraj Singh Chouhan's background in environmental initiatives?
As a four-term Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh , Chouhan oversaw large-scale state-level plantation drives. Now as Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, he has a national platform to scale similar efforts.
