India News | PM Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' Campaign Has Become a Resolve: NDMC Vice Chairman

New Delhi is gearing up for an ambitious green push, with the NDMC Vice Chairman, Satish Upadhyay, declaring that Prime Minister Modi's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign has officially transcended its initial launch to become a national mandate. This statement, ahead of World Environment Day 2026, underscores a renewed urban plantation drive targeting 50,000 new saplings, signaling India's intensified commitment to citizen-led ecological restoration. Launched by PM Modi on World Environment Day 2024 with the planting of a peepal tree at Buddha Jayanti Park, the campaign leverages individual sentiment to drive collective action, linking environmental stewardship to familial respect. This current surge in activity follows nearly two years of localized efforts, now amplified by central government policy under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The initiative is a key plank in India's broader 'Green India Mission' and 'Panchamrit' climate commitments, designed to boost green cover and enhance urban resilience against pollution and climate impacts. The immediate focus is on mobilizing local communities for the ongoing plantation drive throughout June, particularly targeting vulnerable urban areas. However, the long-term success hinges on robust post-plantation care and high sapling survival rates, challenges that environmental watchdogs continue to monitor. Observers will be scrutinizing the NDMC detailed implementation plans and the subsequent impact on New Delhi's notoriously poor air quality, as the campaign seeks to cement a lasting legacy beyond symbolic gestures.