Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of Odisha emphasized the state’s commitment to balancing development with environmental preservation during the State-Level Van Mahotsav event. He stated that extensive tree planting is crucial for combating climate change and heatwaves, noting that Odisha has excelled in forest conservation and green cover creation, securing the third position in India with a 558 square km increase in forest and tree cover over two years.
Under initiatives like the ‘Sabuja Mahanadi Mission’, Odisha is developing a 1.5-km-wide green belt along rivers like Mahanadi and Baitarani to ensure their continuous flow. The state planted 5.65 lakh saplings over 774 hectares in 2025-26 and aims to plant nearly 9 lakh saplings across 2,702 hectares in 2026-27, with additional plans for urban pollution reduction and forest restoration under various schemes.
Chief Minister Majhi highlighted the CAMPA scheme’s target to plant over 20,562 hectares of forest land next year and the restoration of mangrove plantations and saline forests for coastal protection. He also mentioned the launch of the ‘Viksit Bharat – Rozgar Guarantee and Livelihood Mission (Rural)’ to promote employment through plantation activities, urging citizens to actively participate in tree planting for a greener Odisha.
