The Uttar Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has unveiled plans to plant 350 million saplings in a bid to enhance the state’s green spaces. This initiative aims to boost the state’s green cover from 9% to 15% by the fiscal year 2026-27, with the support and collaboration of the public. Each department and division has been allocated specific targets in this extensive campaign, which is part of a concerted effort to augment environmental sustainability and biodiversity. Adequate preparations are being made to ensure the availability of high-quality saplings to meet the ambitious planting goals set for this year.
The campaign is not limited to specific areas but encompasses a wide range of territories. These include forested lands, village panchayats, community lands, areas adjacent to expressways and canals, properties owned by development authorities and industrial complexes, as well as military and railway lands.
Additionally, the initiative extends to grounds of medical and educational institutions, government properties, private farmlands with the cooperation of farmers, and private premises of citizens. The comprehensive scope of this initiative underscores the government’s commitment to promoting environmental sustainability across various sectors and landscapes in Uttar Pradesh.
The planting of trees will be carried out in all 18 divisions of the state, with each division having its own specific targets aligned with the overall goal of planting 350 million saplings. Lucknow division, for instance, has been tasked with planting the highest number of saplings at four crore. Other divisions also have substantial targets ranging from 88 lakh to 3.13 crore saplings. This strategic distribution of targets reflects a systematic approach to ensure a widespread increase in green cover across Uttar Pradesh.
Furthermore, as part of this initiative, geo-tagging of plantation sites will be implemented to monitor and track the progress of the tree-planting efforts. The Forest Department will play a crucial role in this endeavor by overseeing the planting of 12.60 crore saplings across the divisions, while other departments collectively aim to plant around 22.40 crore saplings. This collaborative effort underscores the multi-sectoral approach adopted by the Uttar Pradesh government to achieve its ambitious green cover targets.
The Yogi government’s directive to officials to plant trees statewide underscores its commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development. This initiative not only aims to increase the green cover but also highlights the importance of collective action and public participation in promoting a greener and more environmentally conscious Uttar Pradesh.
