Shivraj plants sapling in Delhi, urges public to join #OnePlantADay
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi on 23 October, continuing his daily #OnePlantADay vow and inviting citizens to become 'Vriksh Mitras' through a missed-call drive — linking personal commitment to India's broader afforestation goals.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a sapling in New Delhi on 23 October 2026 as part of his stated daily tree-planting resolve.
He called on citizens to join the #OnePlantADay movement to 'enrich the earth and make life meaningful.' A missed-call campaign invites participants to register as 'Vriksh Mitra' (Friend of Trees).
The drive connects to India's long tradition of organised afforestation, rooted in the Van Mahotsav programme launched in 1950 .
The National Mission for a Green India (2014) provides the current policy framework for expanding tree and forest cover under India's climate commitments.
One sapling at a time — Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan continued his daily tree-planting pledge on Friday, 23 October 2026, personally planting a sapling in New Delhi and calling on every citizen to join the green movement he has branded #OnePlantADay.
Posting in Hindi on X, Chouhan wrote: 'प्रतिदिन पौधरोपण के संकल्प के क्रम में आज नई दिल्ली में पौधा रोपा' — ('In continuation of my resolve to plant a sapling every day, I planted one in New Delhi today'). He urged citizens to 'enrich the earth and make life meaningful by planting together,' and invited them to become a 'Vriksh Mitra' (Friend of Trees) by giving a missed call to a dedicated number.
A daily vow, carried into the capital
The post underlines a personal commitment Chouhan has maintained across locations — keeping the ritual going regardless of his official schedule in Delhi. The two images attached to the post show the minister in the act of planting, making the pledge visual and public. The consistent messaging around a single hashtag signals an organised citizen-outreach drive rather than a one-off photo opportunity.
Tree-planting as national tradition — and global obligation
India's culture of organised afforestation stretches back to the Van Mahotsav drive launched in 1950, which established the template of mass tree-planting campaigns. More recently, the National Mission for a Green India — initiated under the National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2014 — set concrete targets for expanding forest and tree cover as part of India's climate commitments. Individual ministers participating in and publicising such drives feeds directly into the country's pledged goals on carbon sequestration and green-cover expansion.
For Chouhan, the symbolism carries extra weight. As a four-term Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he built a reputation closely tied to rural welfare and land stewardship. Carrying that identity into his current national role — and doing so one sapling at a time, every day — is a deliberate, legible signal to a constituency that values both environment and continuity of character.
Whether the #OnePlantADay campaign translates into measurable public participation will ultimately be judged by the numbers — of saplings planted, missed calls logged, and volunteers enrolled as Vriksh Mitras. The kicker is already in the soil: the question is how many hands help it grow.
Point of View
Repeatable, and shareable at zero policy cost. It reinforces his 'man of the soil' identity from his Madhya Pradesh era and maps cleanly onto India's international climate pledges on forest cover. The 'Vriksh Mitra' missed-call mechanism is the more interesting layer: it attempts to convert passive social-media reach into an enrolled volunteer base, a tactic that doubles as a political contact-list builder. Whether the campaign produces verifiable afforestation numbers or remains a social-media green-wash will define its legacy.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shivraj Singh Chouhan's #OnePlantADay campaign?
#OnePlantADay is a personal and public pledge by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to plant a sapling every single day and encourage citizens across India to do the same to boost green cover.
How can I become a 'Vriksh Mitra' under Shivraj Chouhan's campaign?
According to the minister's post, interested citizens can join the 'Vriksh Mitra' (Friend of Trees) initiative by giving a missed call to the number shared in his campaign and clicking the link on his engagement page.
What is Van Mahotsav and how does it relate to this drive?
Van Mahotsav is India's annual tree-planting festival, launched in 1950 , which established the tradition of organised mass afforestation. Chouhan's daily planting drive draws on this decades-old culture of citizen-led green campaigns.
What is India's National Mission for a Green India?
The National Mission for a Green India is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, initiated in 2014 , aimed at protecting, restoring, and expanding India's forest cover to meet climate commitments.
Why is Shivraj Singh Chouhan planting trees daily?
Chouhan has made a public resolve to plant at least one sapling every day as a personal environmental commitment, using the practice to raise awareness and mobilise public participation in India's afforestation goals.
