Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav has urged the Delhi government to dedicate part of its large-scale
July 10, 2026: Union Minister of State for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav has welcomed the Delhi government’s ambitious plan to expand the city’s green cover and suggested incorporating medicinal forests into the project. In a letter to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Jadhav praised the proposal to plant more than 70 lakh indigenous and climate-resilient trees, develop over 70 water bodies, and notify nearly 6,000 hectares as forest area, describing it as a major step towards improving Delhi’s ecology and air quality.
The minister also appreciated the government’s decision to replace invasive tree species such as Vilayati Kikar and Babool with native varieties including Peepal, Banyan, Neem, Arjun, and Jamun. He said the initiative could transform the Delhi Ridge into the “lungs of Delhi” while integrating urban afforestation with India’s traditional systems of medicine and sustainable environmental practices.
Jadhav proposed that at least 20 per cent of the plantation be dedicated to medicinal species or that two of the planned forests be developed as exclusive “Aushadhi Vans” (medicinal forests). According to the Ayush Ministry, such forests would help conserve biodiversity, support ecological restoration, strengthen the Ayush sector with sustainable raw materials, and encourage eco-tourism. He also recommended medicinal plants suitable for Delhi’s climate, including Ashwagandha, Giloy, Tulsi, Brahmi, Shatavari, Amla, Arjun, Ashok, Neem, Bel, and Jamun.