Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the state-level Van Mahotsav 2025 on Sunday by planting a mango sapling at his official residence in Patna. The event was organised by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to encourage people to plant more trees and protect the environment. Speaking at the occasion, Kumar appealed to everyone to plant trees near their homes and support the state’s green mission.
Van Mahotsav has been celebrated in India every year since 1950 to spread awareness about the importance of trees and forests. This year, Bihar has set a target of planting five crore saplings in the financial year 2025-26. Officials said the plantation drive will continue for the next three months. The Forest Department, Rural Development Department, Jeevika groups, Horticulture Department, NGOs, and social organisations will work together to achieve this goal.
The Chief Minister started the Hariyali Mission in 2012 to increase Bihar’s green cover, which has now reached 15.05%. The government plans to increase it further to 17% by 2028. In 2019, Kumar launched the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign to promote tree plantation, water conservation, and agroforestry to raise farmers’ incomes. Under this campaign, villagers are being given fruit plants free of cost to plant near their homes and farms.
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Environment Minister Sunil Kumar, and other senior officials. Additional Chief Secretary Harjot Kaur Bamhara welcomed the Chief Minister with flowers and assured him of the department’s efforts to make Bihar greener in the coming years.
