Chouhan gives message of Green India during dialogue with Vriksh Mitra
Published: Jul 13, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, JULY 13, 2026: UNION Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, took a major resolve to turn environment protection into a mass movement among nearly 17,000 'Vriksh Mitra' connected from across the country during the 'Environment Protection Resolve Programme and Vriksh Mitra Samvad' organised at Pusa Complex in New Delhi. Padma Bhushan environmentalist Anil Joshi, renowned doctor and social worker Dr. Anoop Hazela, Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research Dr. M.L. Jat and hundreds of 'Vriksh Mitra' from various states of the country participated in person while thousands of companions joined through virtual medium. All together gave a collective message of saving the earth by connecting trees, water, soil, energy conservation and plastic-free living with public participation.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan presented a clear and clean roadmap to give environment protection the form of a concrete mass movement based on suggestions and dialogue received from 'Vriksh Mitra'. He decided that every family will plant a tree on occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, birth of children, and pious memories of parents and turn these into 'Tree Festivals', so that slowly this tradition becomes a habit in every household. Every 'Vriksh Mitra' will plant at least one tree in a year and take a resolve to connect at least five new people with this campaign, whose public announcement will be made through their post on social media so that a strong network can be prepared by Hariyali Amavasya on 12 August. Chouhan proposed forming committees of 'Vriksh Mitra Pariwar' at national, state, district, block and village levels to run the entire campaign in an organised framework, getting this structure formally registered and identifying fixed sites for plantation in panchayats and urban local bodies, where every auspicious work and government schemes - like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Lakhpati Didi Yojana, programmes of Agriculture and Rural Development Departments - will start only by planting trees. Along with this, collective plantation and nature worship on Govardhan Puja, World Environment Day and Hariyali Amavasya, appeal to plant trees in wedding invitation cards and religious-social events, public awareness through saints, social leaders and social media influencers, separate logo and digital portal of 'Vriksh Mitra' Family and creating such a social environment in which not planting a tree becomes a matter of shame for people and planting a tree becomes a symbol of progress and prestige, were also resolved.
Resolve to save the Earth with mass movement by 'Vriksh Mitra'
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan started his address by elaborating on the seriousness of the environment crisis. He clearly said that this is not only a question of environment, but a crisis of human existence - rising sea levels, increasing heat, polluted air, bad water and rapidly disappearing biodiversity are standing as direct threats to the life of coming generations. Referring to events happening across the world and scientific facts, he said that if concrete steps are not taken now, the picture of 2050 and beyond can be very worrying.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in an emotional tone that everyone lives for themselves, true life is the one that gives life to others and planting a tree is the biggest medium of giving life. He said that a tree is not only a green sight, but oxygen for our breaths, a shield to balance the earth's temperature, home for birds, insects and countless creatures and a security cover for coming generations. He also shared that when he plants a tree and sees it growing, it feels as if he is embracing the earth - this feeling is the soul of the 'Vriksh Mitra Abhiyaan'.
Resolve of planting one tree every year, 'Vriksh Mitra' will connect five new companions
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, without limiting the entire programme to just speeches, clearly said that from here yesterday we have to decide what we will do. Taking suggestions from many 'Vriksh Mitra', he presented a very simple and straightforward resolve - planting at least one tree in a year and connecting at least five new people with the tree planting campaign. He suggested that any person must plant a tree on occasions like his birthday, wedding anniversary, children's birthday or pious memory of parents, these personal steps will become collective strength in the coming times. All 'Vriksh Mitra' present in the hall along with him took a resolve regarding this. Chouhan said that this is the energy that will slowly spread across the country and become a mass movement. He also motivated the companions who joined virtually to be part of this resolve and gave a clear message that if every citizen plants one tree in a year and inspires five people, then in the coming few years the picture of Green India can change a lot.
'Vriksh Mitra Pariwar' will have national structure, national level campaign
Union Minister Shivraj Singh announced that tree planting efforts will not be left scattered and as separate initiatives, but an organised network will be created in the name of 'Vriksh Mitra Pariwar'. He said that this will not be an organisation but a family - brothers-sisters, sons-daughters, maternal uncles-nephews-nieces who will be connected with a common feeling to plant and save trees. He proposed forming a national unit of 'Vriksh Mitra Pariwar', then forming its units at every state, every district, every block and further at village level, so that planning, monitoring and coordination becomes easy. He said that when the structure gets connected from top to bottom, then targets of tree planting can be fixed in every area, responsibility of their care can be fixed and it can be ensured that tree planting is not just a one-time photo-event but becomes a continuous campaign.
