Bhubaneswar, 31 July (H.S.): In a grand tribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming 75th birthday on September 17, the Odisha government will plant 7.5 million trees in a single day as part of the state-wide afforestation initiative “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (One Tree for Mother). Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced this during a high-level preparatory meeting held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Wednesday.

The CM emphasized that the plantation drive will serve as a special gift from the people of Odisha to the Prime Minister and will mark a significant step toward environmental conservation and honoring motherhood and the motherland.

Highlighting the scale of the initiative, the Chief Minister stated that the second edition of the campaign “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” is being conducted from June 5 to September 30, with an ambitious target of planting at least 7.5 crore (75 million) saplings across the state. Last year, Odisha planted 6.72 crore trees, ranking fourth nationally, he noted.

“We are determined to surpass last year’s achievement and set a new record by planting 75 lakh trees in one day,” said CM Majhi. “This is not merely a plantation drive, but a people’s movement for environmental protection and a tribute to motherhood.”

The CM called for collective support from all government departments, public sector units, NGOs, youth associations, educational institutions, panchayati raj institutions, and self-help groups to ensure the campaign’s success. While the Forest and Agriculture Departments will play a lead role, the CM stressed that broad-based participation is key.

He also issued special directives to the Information and Public Relations Department for widespread promotion of the campaign, urging them to launch an extensive awareness drive to mobilize public participation.

Further, CM Majhi made it clear that planting trees is not enough ensuring their protection and growth is equally important. He appealed to all government employees and citizens to take personal responsibility for the care and survival of the trees they plant.

To promote local biodiversity and sustainability, the Chief Minister suggested prioritizing indigenous and beneficial tree species such as neem, karanja, tendu, arjuna, harada, bahada, jackfruit, palm, peepal, krishnachura, ashok, jamun, kadamba, amla, devdaru, sounari, and chakunda.

He also instructed that all plantation-related images and data should be uploaded to the ‘Meri Life’ portal and called on Panchayati Raj institutions to monitor and implement the campaign effectively at the grassroots level. He proposed awards for outstanding performers, both at the individual and group levels.

Additionally, departments were directed to supply fruit-bearing saplings in areas suited for such cultivation, helping not only the environment but also supporting rural livelihoods.

The meeting was attended by top government officials, including Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Environment & Climate Change) Satyabrata Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (I&PR) Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary to the CM Shashwat Mishra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Suresh Panth, PCCF (Wildlife) P.K. Jha, WCD Secretary Subha Sharma, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Commissioner S.N. Girish, School and Mass Education Commissioner Shalini Pandit, and I&PR Director Anuj Das Pattnaik.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda