Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday, 26 July 2026, planted a sapling in New Delhi as part of his daily tree-plantation pledge, calling on citizens across India to join the effort and help enrich the earth. Sharing the act on social media, the senior BJP leader framed the initiative as an expression of gratitude toward nature — 'माँ समान प्रकृति' (nature, akin to a mother) — and a vow of service to humanity.

Context

Chouhan posted in Hindi: 'प्रतिदिन पौधरोपण का संकल्प माँ समान प्रकृति के प्रति अपनी कृतज्ञता ज्ञापित करने तथा मानवता की सेवा का प्रण है' — ('The resolve to plant a sapling every day is a pledge of gratitude toward nature, which is like a mother, and a vow of service to humanity'). He invited followers to become 'Vriksha Mitra' (Tree Friends) by giving a missed call to 8929629475 or clicking a dedicated campaign link. The post was tagged #OnePlantADay, signalling a sustained, individually-driven afforestation campaign.

Policy Backdrop

India's afforestation tradition stretches back to 1950, when the Van Mahotsav festival was launched by K.M. Munshi to build public awareness about forest conservation. The National Afforestation Programme, introduced in 2000, further institutionalised people's participation in expanding forest cover. Under the Green India Mission — one of eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, operationalised from 2014 — the government set targets to enhance carbon sinks and increase forest and tree cover by several million hectares, directly linking citizen action to India's climate commitments.

India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement include a target to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030. Citizen-led plantation drives, amplified by ministerial endorsement, form a visible grassroots layer of this larger national strategy.

Stakeholders and Impact

The immediate audience is the general public, particularly social-media users and volunteers engaged in environmental causes. The 'Vriksha Mitra' mechanism — combining a missed-call registration with an online participation link — is designed to lower the barrier to entry for citizens in both urban and rural areas. Political leaders and ministers who participate visibly in such campaigns tend to amplify reach significantly, often mobilising local party networks and community groups.

As a former four-term Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan has previously championed large-scale plantation drives at the state level, lending personal credibility to the campaign. His current role overseeing Agriculture and Rural Development at the Centre aligns tree-planting advocacy with broader goals of land health, soil conservation, and rural livelihoods.

What's Next

The #OnePlantADay campaign's momentum will depend on public uptake of the missed-call and online registration mechanism. Progress on India's afforestation targets under its NDCs is expected to be reviewed as part of ongoing climate-policy assessments. Should the initiative gain traction, it could prompt other central ministers or state governments to launch parallel citizen-engagement drives, adding a competitive grassroots dimension to India's green-cover goals.