Shivraj plants sapling in Delhi, calls public to join Aug 12 drive
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi on 30 July as part of his daily pledge, and called on citizens to join a grand plantation drive on Hariyali Amavasya, 12 August, via a missed-call registration on 8929629475, under the #OnePlantADay campaign.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi on 30 July 2026 as part of a daily tree-planting resolve.
He has called on citizens to join a mass plantation drive on 12 August 2026 , coinciding with Hariyali Amavasya .
Registration for the campaign is through a missed call to 8929629475 .
The campaign runs under the hashtag #OnePlantADay .
Chouhan has a track record of large-scale monsoon plantation drives from his four terms as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh .
The initiative aligns with India's broader climate commitments to expand national green cover.
Every monsoon season, India's forests get a political push — and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is making it personal this year. On Thursday, 30 July 2026, Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi as part of his daily tree-planting pledge, and used the moment to mobilise citizens for a mass plantation campaign on 12 August, timed to the auspicious occasion of Hariyali Amavasya.
Posting under the hashtag #OnePlantADay, Chouhan wrote in Hindi: 'Pratideen paudharopan ke sankalp ke kram mein aaj Nayi Dilli mein paudha ropa' — 'Continuing my daily tree-planting resolve, I planted a sapling in New Delhi today.' He invited citizens to join the upcoming large-scale plantation drive by giving a missed call to 8929629475.
Hariyali Amavasya: when faith meets afforestation
Hariyali Amavasya — the new-moon day in the Hindu month of Shravan — is a traditional festival in northern and central India closely associated with greenery and the earth's renewal. Falling during peak monsoon, it has long served as a natural anchor for tree-planting observances. Chouhan's campaign taps directly into that cultural current, framing a civic act as a spiritual one.
The missed-call mobilisation model is a well-worn tool in Indian mass campaigns — low-barrier, accessible on basic phones, and capable of generating large registration numbers quickly. The 12 August event is positioned as a vr̥had paudharopan abhiyan — a 'grand plantation campaign' — though the scale and target numbers have not yet been officially announced.
Chouhan's plantation playbook, carried to the Centre
As Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for four terms, Chouhan made monsoon plantation drives a signature of his administration, repeatedly organising large-scale afforestation pushes aimed at expanding the state's forest cover. That same instinct has followed him to the Union Cabinet. His #OnePlantADay pledge is a personal, visible commitment — a minister seen doing, not just announcing.
India's broader afforestation agenda is backed by climate commitments that require substantial increases in green cover. Citizen-led drives around festivals like Hariyali Amavasya have become a standard mobilisation strategy for both central and state governments looking to move the needle on those targets without waiting for institutional machinery alone.
One missed call, one sapling, one auspicious date — if the turnout on 12 August matches the ambition, the numbers will speak for themselves.
Point of View
Broadening appeal beyond party lines. For the Centre, such citizen-led drives are a low-cost complement to institutional afforestation targets under India's climate commitments. The real test will be whether the 12 August turnout produces verifiable numbers — or remains a well-photographed gesture.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hariyali Amavasya plantation campaign by Shivraj Singh Chouhan?
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a large-scale tree-plantation drive on 12 August 2026 , timed to Hariyali Amavasya , a traditional new-moon festival in the month of Shravan associated with greenery. Citizens can register by giving a missed call to 8929629475 .
How do I register for the Hariyali Amavasya tree planting drive?
Give a missed call to 8929629475 to register for the mass plantation campaign scheduled for 12 August 2026 .
What is Shivraj Singh Chouhan's #OnePlantADay campaign?
#OnePlantADay is a personal pledge by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to plant a sapling every day and encourage citizens to do the same, as part of a broader push for afforestation and environmental conservation.
What is Hariyali Amavasya and why is it linked to tree planting?
Hariyali Amavasya is the new-moon day in the Hindu month of Shravan, falling during the monsoon season. It is traditionally associated with greenery and the earth's renewal in northern and central India, making it a natural occasion for tree-planting observances.
What is Shivraj Singh Chouhan's background in plantation drives?
As Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for four terms , Chouhan organised repeated large-scale monsoon plantation drives aimed at expanding the state's forest cover. He has continued that focus after becoming Union Agriculture Minister .
