Delhi achieves 58% of 70-lakh plantation target, with around 40.49 lakh saplings planted

Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, joined by Hon’ble Delhi Ministers Shri Parvesh Sahib Singh and Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa, plant trees at PBG Ground, Delhi Ridge, on the occasion of Hariyali Utsav

More than 1 lakh citizens have joined Delhi’s Mega Plantation Drive 2026, facilitating the plantation of 2.60 lakh trees

Every tree planted by Delhi Government is being geo-tagged and digitally monitored to ensure its survival and growth

Ridge restoration underway at around 51 sites with focus on native species and ecological revival

Hon’ble Minister Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the Delhi Government has so far planted around 40.49 lakh saplings against the target of 70 lakh as part of Delhi’s Mega Plantation Drive 2026 under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, inspired by the call of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, achieving nearly 58 per cent of the plantation target.

Welcoming Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Shri Sirsa said that the participation of senior leaders in the Hariyali Utsav plantation programme further strengthens Delhi’s resolve to expand its green cover and build a people’s movement for environmental conservation. Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said, “Today, on the auspicious occasion of Hariyali Utsav, we are privileged to have the presence of Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji and my colleague, Hon’ble Minister Shri Parvesh Sahib Singh ji. Shri Chouhan ji has always inspired people to develop an emotional bond with trees and nature, while the participation of Shri Parvesh ji reflects the collective commitment of the Delhi Government towards building a greener and healthier capital.”

Expressing his gratitude to Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan for joining the Hariyali Utsav plantation programme, Shri Sirsa said his philosophy of creating Vriksh Mitra and involving people in environmental conservation has provided inspiration for Delhi’s public participation campaign. Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Chouhan’s message of creating a chain of Vriksh Mitras—where every person who plants a tree inspires five more people to do the same—can transform plantation into a nationwide people’s movement. “Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji has shown the country how an emotional bond with trees can become a powerful movement. Delhi is taking inspiration from this vision and making every possible effort to ensure that citizens become partners in protecting and nurturing our environment,” Shri Sirsa said.

Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the 70-lakh tree plantation target is significant because it has been achieved with the active participation of the people. He said public participation gives such initiatives a sense of ownership and makes them sustainable. Shri Chouhan said the Delhi Government’s initiative to geo-tag trees and provide those planting them with regular updates on the tree’s size, age and growth is an exceptional campaign that can help ensure that trees do not merely get planted but survive and flourish. He emphasised that trees are not merely our inheritance but also belong to birds, animals and future generations, making their protection a collective responsibility.

Shri Chouhan said that his resolve is to continue planting trees as long as he can breathe and urged people to make tree planting a part of their lives. He said that if people cannot plant a tree every day, they should at least plant one on their birthday and make efforts to repay their debt to nature. He stressed that when people are gone, the trees they plant will continue to live for generations, with species such as peepal and banyan trees having lifespans of hundreds of years. Shri Chouhan also called for the creation of a nationwide Vriksh Mitra Parivar so that more and more people can be connected with the movement to protect nature.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said that the Delhi Government is adopting technology to ensure that plantation does not remain limited to putting a sapling in the ground, but translates into its survival and healthy growth. He said every tree planted by the Delhi Government is being geo-tagged, with details including its location, photograph, height and other relevant information being recorded. Citizens participating in the plantation drive are also being provided a QR code, through which they can access updated photographs and information about the tree they planted. “We want every citizen to remain connected with the tree they plant. Through the QR code, they will be able to see its latest photograph and know whether their sapling is growing into a healthy tree. This is how we are creating a sense of ownership and responsibility towards every tree planted in Delhi,” Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said.

Highlighting the importance of public participation, Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said the Delhi Government launched a dedicated plantation portal and undertook an extensive outreach campaign to bring citizens into the plantation movement. He said more than 1 lakh citizens have already registered and joined the campaign, contributing to the plantation of 2.60 lakh trees. Besides this, schools, colleges, Resident Welfare Associations, market associations and industry associations have also been actively involved in the initiative. “In a city like Delhi, where people lead extremely busy lives, bringing more than one lakh people out of their homes to participate in the plantation is a significant achievement. When people begin to feel that a tree is not merely a plant but a part of their family, a meaningful change in our relationship with nature begins,” Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said.
The Mega Plantation Drive campaign has also witnessed enthusiastic participation from the diplomatic community, with representatives from around 90 countries planting saplings. The initiative has also witnessed the participation of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and Hon’ble Supreme Court judges along with their families, further demonstrating that environmental conservation can become a collective social movement.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said the Delhi Government is simultaneously undertaking large-scale restoration work across Delhi’s Ridge areas, with work currently underway at around 51 sites. Hon’ble Minister said that the focus is on restoring the ecological character of the Ridge by promoting native plant species and reducing the presence of species that are not suited to the local ecosystem. “Our native species give more to the environment than they take from it. They support biodiversity, strengthen the ecological balance and contribute to cleaner air. Therefore, the Delhi Government is working towards restoring Delhi’s Ridge with native species and creating a healthier ecosystem for future generations,” said Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Sirsa said the Delhi Government’s 70-lakh plantation mission is not merely a numerical target but a commitment towards cleaner air, stronger green cover and a healthier Delhi. He said the Government will continue to work with citizens, schools, institutions, RWAs, associations and environmental stakeholders to ensure that every plantation becomes a living asset for Delhi.