High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Van Mahotsav is an annual pan-Indian tree planting festival, occupying a week in the month of July. During this event millions of trees are planted. It was initiated in 1950 by K. M. Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food to create an enthusiasm in the mind of the populace for the conservation of forests and planting of trees. The main objectives of the planting of trees during Van Mahotsav are to: Provide fuel and thus release cow dung for use as manure.