Important Days

Van Mahotsav 2026 drives nationwide tree plantation campaign

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Thursday, 2 July 2026 2 min readSource: GKTodayArticle 16 of 21

Van Mahotsav is India's annual week-long tree plantation festival observed from 1 July to 7 July. The campaign began in 1950 under K.M. Munshi, then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food, to promote tree planting and protection, and is also called the festival of forests. The 2026 observance runs from 1 to 7 July. On 1 July 2026, the 77th Van Mahotsav began in several districts of Manipur, where the Forest Department set a target of about 15 lakh saplings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0 initiative. Assam launched its campaign on 1 July 2026, and the Delhi government planned a phased drive for 70 lakh saplings with live telecasts from 50 locations from 7 July 2026. India's forest and tree cover stood at 25.17% of its geographical area per the India State of Forest Report 2023.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
Van Mahotsav is India's annual week-long tree plantation festival observed from 1 July to 7 July.
2
It was launched in 1950 by K.M. Munshi, then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food.
3
The 77th Van Mahotsav began on 1 July 2026 in several districts of Manipur, targeting about 15 lakh saplings under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0.
4
Assam launched its Van Mahotsav campaign on 1 July 2026.
5
The Delhi government planned a phased drive for 70 lakh saplings with live telecasts from 50 locations from 7 July 2026.
6
India's forest and tree cover stood at 25.17% of its geographical area per the India State of Forest Report 2023.

Deep Dive

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Van Mahotsav is also called the festival of forests and is observed across states and UTs through plantation drives and sapling distribution.
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The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0 edition was used during the 2025 observance, preceding the 3.0 version in 2026.
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Total forest and tree cover was 827,357 square kilometres, an increase of 1,445 square kilometres since 2021 per the India State of Forest Report 2023.

Exam Focus

Examiners may ask who launched Van Mahotsav (K.M. Munshi, 1950), its observance dates (1-7 July), or India's forest and tree cover percentage from ISFR 2023.

Exam Relevance & Angle

Van Mahotsav mobilises nationwide afforestation drives and public awareness on tree planting and protection. Linked to campaigns like Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, it supports India's climate, carbon-sink and green-cover goals, and its dates and origin feature prominently in environment-focused examination content.

Target Exams

UPSC CSESSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCState PCS

Background & Context

Van Mahotsav ('forest festival') was initiated in 1950 by K.M. Munshi to build a mass movement for tree planting. Observed each year in the first week of July, it involves central and state governments, schools and communities in plantation drives. India periodically assesses its green cover through the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), prepared by the Forest Survey of India; the 2023 report (released December 2024) put forest and tree cover at 25.17% of geographical area. Recent editions have been tied to national afforestation campaigns such as Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.