Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 30 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, while inaugurating the 76th statewide Van Mahotsav, stated that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat has created an ecosystem for comprehensive environmental protection and conservation, an official statement from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.
In this context, he mentioned that Gujarat has achieved development while maintaining ecological balance through initiatives such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) to tackle climate change, renewable and solar rooftop energy for green growth, water conservation projects like Catch the Rain and Amrit Sarovar, as well as massive tree plantation drives under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.
As part of the 76th Van Mahotsav, the Chief Minister dedicated the newly developed Galteshwar Van spread over 7 hectares in Galteshwar, Kheda district, as the 24th cultural forest of the state. He also launched the website of the Gujarat State Wetland Authority, initiated village forest development, distributed checks to gram panchayats and taluka panchayats for the income generated from strip plantations, and handed over checks to beneficiaries of various Forest Department schemes, the statement said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel remarked, "If we show care and respect for nature, it will, in turn, sustain and protect us." He added that people of our culture see divinity everywhere, "Shiv in every being and Ranchhod in every plant." He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently prioritised environmental balance and conservation, transforming the traditional Van Mahotsav into Jan Mahotsav.
The CM noted that initiatives like 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', the Miyawaki plantation method with 207 urban forest belts, and 82 Namo Vat Vans have expanded Gujarat's green cover by 1,143 sq. km beyond forest areas. He further mentioned that under PM Modi's inspiration, Gujarat ranked second in India last year by planting 17.50 crore saplings under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. This year, under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0, the state has set a target of planting 10.35 crore saplings across Gujarat.
Further, as per the statement, the Chief Minister stated that Gujarat has become the engine of growth for the nation's development. Along with industrial and trade progress, it is equally important to provide future generations with a clean and healthy environment. For this, a green and clean ecosystem is essential, and Van Mahotsavs serve as an effective medium to achieve this goal.
On the occasion, Forest and Environment Minister Mulubhai Bera stated that the purpose of cultural forests is to raise awareness about religious and medicinal trees, contribute positively to climate change, increase tree cover, and instil love for trees among people, students, and children. This year, plantation will be carried out across 39,295 hectares under social forestry, along with the creation of 20 urban forests. Under the Pancharatna Gram Vatika model, 50 saplings will be planted in each of 1,000 villages. By 2025-26, 34 Sacred Groves will be developed, and 15.39 million saplings will be planted across 19,895 hectares.
Minister of State for Forest and Environment Mukesh Patel added that the state government is working with full commitment to social forestry. In Kheda district, Van Kavach at Govindpura and a plantation under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign at Pipalag village have been developed. He highlighted that the state has made 'Green Growth' the fifth pillar of development. For 2025-26, plans include plantation along 100 hectares of roadside and coastal highways under the Harit Van Path scheme, as well as 35,000 hectares of agroforestry on farms. Additionally, 200 saplings will be planted around each of the 130 Amrit Sarovars, and 136 forest cottages will be created, along with the organisation of 100 farmer training camps.
At the event's inauguration, Sanjeev Kumar, Principal Secretary of Forests and Environment, welcomed all attendees and outlined the programme.
The ceremony was attended by prominent dignitaries, including Kheda MP Devusinh Chauhan, Panchmahal MP Rajpalsinh Jadav, Thasra MLA Yogendrasinh Parmar, Nadiad MLA Pankaj Desai, Mahudha MLA Sanjaysinh Mahida, Mahemdavad MLA Arjunsinh Chauhan, Kapadvanj MLA Rajeshbhai Zala, Matar MLA Kalpesh Parmar, leader Nayana Patel, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, AP Singh, Additional Principal Chief Wildlife Conservator, Jaipal Singh, Collector Amit Prakash Yadav, District Development Officer Jayant Kishore, along with other officials and a large gathering of dignitaries.