Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a major environmental restoration campaign in the national capital, aiming to plant 70 lakh trees across Delhi and the surrounding region. The initiative, titled “Eco Restoration Mega Plantation Drive 2026,” was inaugurated at Delhi’s RK Puram area with a focus on increasing green cover and protecting the environment.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the campaign represents an effort to restore nature’s balance and revive greenery in areas that need ecological attention. She highlighted the importance of respecting the environment, saying that Indian traditions have always promoted harmony with nature and regard rivers and natural resources with deep reverence.

Gupta described the plantation drive as a significant step toward environmental conservation and expressed happiness over the beginning of the ambitious mission to plant 70 lakh saplings in Delhi. She also thanked Amit Shah for his support under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative, stating that cooperation between the Centre and the Delhi government can help tackle even the biggest challenges.

The Chief Minister said the joint effort reflects the importance of collaboration between different levels of government in achieving large-scale environmental goals. She added that guidance and support from the Centre provide confidence in implementing projects aimed at improving Delhi’s ecological condition.

Before the official launch, CM Rekha Gupta and Amit Shah planted saplings in the Central Ridge area of Delhi, a region known for its green landscape and ecological significance. Several BJP leaders and Delhi government ministers, including MPs Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and Praveen Khandelwal, along with ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra, were present during the event. The plantation campaign is expected to cover multiple locations across Delhi, with the objective of enhancing green spaces, improving air quality, and strengthening the city’s environmental resilience.

The launch comes as Amit Shah continues his engagements in the capital. A day earlier, on July 6, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation attended the fifth Foundation Day ceremony of the Ministry of Cooperation at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event was organised around the vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under Shah’s leadership, the Ministry of Cooperation has focused on modernising the cooperative sector through greater transparency, technology adoption, institutional reforms, and empowering grassroots-level organisations. Over the past five years, the ministry has introduced several initiatives aimed at strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), cooperative banks, dairy cooperatives, urban cooperative institutions, and multi-state cooperative societies across the country.