Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Saturday that Odisha has established itself as a national leader in forest conservation, revealing that the state added 558 square kilometres of forest and tree cover over the past two years.
The Chief Minister shared these figures while addressing the state-level celebrations for World Forest Day 2026 in Bhubaneswar, highlighting Odisha’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
“In the last two years alone, the forest and tree cover in the state has increased by 558 square kilometres. Now, 37.63 per cent, or 58,597 square kilometres, of the total geographical area of the state is under forest and tree cover,” he said.
He also pointed to the massive success of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (EPMN) campaign, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that 1.49 crore saplings were planted in a single day. Over the course of a year, the EPMN initiative saw a total of 8 crore saplings planted across the state.
Emphasising the harmony between progress and nature, Majhi said that modern science and technology now allow for industrialisation that carries minimal environmental consequences.
“If we maintain a proper balance between environment and industry, both can complement each other,” he said.
ବନାଗ୍ନି ଓ ଜଳବାୟୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ଭଳି ଆହ୍ୱାନର ମୁକାବିଲା ପାଇଁ ଆମ ସରକାର AI ଓ ଡ୍ରୋନ୍ ଭଳି ଆଧୁନିକ ପ୍ରଯୁକ୍ତିର ବ୍ୟବହାର ସହ ବଜେଟରେ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାପ୍ତ ଅର୍ଥର ବ୍ୟୟବରାଦ କରିଛନ୍ତି। ଜଙ୍ଗଲ ହ୍ରାସ ପାଇଲେ ବନ୍ୟପ୍ରାଣୀ ଓ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସଂଘର୍ଷ ବଢ଼ିଥାଏ। ତେଣୁ ବନ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ଓ ପ୍ରାକୃତିକ ପରିବେଶକୁ ସୁଦୃଢ଼ କରିବା ଦିଗରେ ମୁଁ… pic.twitter.com/LQMFrP0N0H
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) March 21, 2026
Reflecting on this year’s theme, ‘Forests and Economy,’ he explained that forests are vital assets not just for ecological health, but as cornerstones for sustainable economic growth.
“Along with forest protection, we have initiated programmes to make forests a major source of livelihood. With everyone’s cooperation, we will move further in this field,” he said.
Thanking people engaged in forest protection, the CM urged them to be careful in preventing forest fires and human-wildlife conflicts.
He directed the forest and environment department to take strict action against those responsible for man-made forest fires.
Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Ganeshram Singh Khuntia, said the government is working to improve the livelihoods of people living in forest areas, particularly in tribal-dominated districts.
