The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh is dedicated to turning the state into a ‘green state’ by significantly increasing tree plantations. Over the past nine years, more than 242 crore saplings have been planted, leading to a notable rise in the state’s forest cover by 559.19 square kilometers. In a remarkable achievement, a record 37.21 crore saplings were planted in a single day last year on July 9.
In 2026, the state government has set a target of planting over 35 crore saplings. Recently, in a ‘Mega Plantation Drive’ in Sujabad Domri area of Varanasi, residents planted 2,51,446 saplings within just one hour. To encourage public involvement in environmental conservation, the Forest Department has initiated the ‘Green Chaupal’ program. These meetings, held at the Gram Sabha level in over 15,000 villages, are chaired by the Gram Pradhan and involve representatives from all sections of society, convening at least once a month.
Emphasizing the importance of greenery, the Uttar Pradesh CM has actively led various plantation drives and review meetings, contributing to the planting of over 242 crore saplings in nine years. This effort has resulted in a tangible increase in forest cover, as confirmed by the India State of Forest Report 2023, showing a growth of 559.19 square kilometers in Uttar Pradesh’s forest cover.
In a unique initiative, children born between July 1 and 7, 2025, were honored with ‘Green Gold Certificates,’ accompanied by saplings for their parents under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. The state government is gearing up for another extensive plantation drive in the upcoming monsoon of 2026, with a target of 35 crore saplings. Significant budget allocations have been proposed in the recent budget, including Rs 800 crore for the Social Forestry Scheme, Rs 220 crore for Nursery Management, and Rs 189 crore for the State Compensatory Afforestation Scheme.
With a vision for the future, the Chief Minister has outlined ambitious plans to raise the state’s green cover to 15 percent by 2030.
