Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates ‘Bharat Vann’ urban forest in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday inaugurated ‘Bharat Vann’, a Miyawaki-style urban forest developed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) at Lodhi Colony Park.

The plantation drive marked the launch of the month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, which commemorates 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public life and service. Modi’s birthday falls on September 17, while October 7 marks 25 years since he began his public service.

Sitharaman planted a sapling at the site alongside NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal and the managing director of India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), which is funding the project through its CSR initiative.

The minister said the forest has been created entirely with indigenous plant species suited to the local environment. The plantation includes shrubs, flowering and fruit-bearing plants as well as trees that will develop a large canopy.

According to Chahal, more than 10,000 saplings are being planted across one acre using the Miyawaki method. He said the site will also provide residents with a free walking space and areas for meditation, yoga and pranayam.

More than 100 schoolchildren and women's teams participated in the plantation drive under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. They will also help maintain the saplings, officials said.

Sitharaman described the project as a public-interest initiative that could also contribute to efforts to address Delhi’s air pollution.

with inputs from PTI