Union Minister Hails Sikkim's Tree Plantation Scheme, Calls it Model for India

Union minister Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday praised Sikkim's community-led environmental initiatives and described the state's flagship 'Mero Rukh, Mero Santati' (My Tree, My Legacy) programme as a model worthy of replication across the country.

Karandlaje, the MoS for MSME and Labour, made the remarks while participating in the nationwide 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign at Smriti Ban in Bulbuley, where she planted a sapling under the initiative aimed at promoting environmental conservation through tree plantation in honour of mothers.

Addressing the gathering, the minister commended the Sikkim Forest and Environment Department for its innovative afforestation programmes and singled out the 'Mero Rukh, Mero Santati' scheme for special praise.

The initiative commemorates the birth of a child by planting 100 to 108 trees, symbolically linking the child's future with environmental stewardship.

Describing the programme as "visionary", Karandlaje said it creates a meaningful connection between child welfare and environmental protection.

"The initiative beautifully links the growth of children with the growth of trees, fostering environmental responsibility from an early age," she said.

Highlighting the scheme's achievements, the minister said nearly 10,000 children have been enrolled and more than one million trees planted across the state since its launch in 2023.

She congratulated the Sikkim government and the Forest and Environment Department for the successful implementation of the programme and expressed hope that similar initiatives would be adopted elsewhere in the country.