Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the 'Environment Protection Resolve Programme and Vriksh Mitra Samvad' at Pusa Complex in New Delhi, engaging approximately 17,000 'Vriksh Mitra' participants nationwide both in person and virtually. The program aims to transform environmental protection into a mass movement through structured tree planting initiatives and behavioral changes.
The campaign requires each Vriksh Mitra to plant at least one tree annually on personal occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries, or memorial days, and recruit five new participants to expand the network. A major nationwide plantation drive is scheduled for Hariyali Amavasya on August 12, 2026, which the minister proposed to establish as an annual 'Tree Festival' integrating cultural traditions with environmental conservation.
An organizational structure named 'Vriksh Mitra Pariwar' will be created with committees at national, state, district, block, and village levels to ensure coordinated implementation. Panchayats and urban local bodies must identify dedicated plantation sites of 2-3 acres where trees will be planted during government scheme inaugurations like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and Lakhpati Didi Yojana, with guaranteed protection mechanisms beyond mere planting.
The initiative emphasizes water conservation, soil health, and balanced farming practices to secure agricultural sustainability and farmers' livelihoods. It aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), promoting energy conservation through LED lights, BLDC fans, energy-efficient appliances, plastic-free living, waste segregation, and electric vehicle adoption.
Environmentalist Anil Joshi endorsed the program as a comprehensive environmental thought movement, revealing that IIT scientists have begun scientific studies using remote sensing to evaluate the impact of Chouhan's previous tree planting campaigns. Dr. Anoop Hazela emphasized the 'adopt one tree' concept for urban residents and advocated for institutional 'Green Certification' to improve energy, water, waste, and plastic management practices across organizations.