The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, June 5, 2026 issued a public appeal from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging every resident of the state to plant at least one tree under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One Tree in Mother's Name) campaign as part of the upcoming Van Mahotsav drive. The appeal also called on citizens to contribute to the development of urban forests and join what the Chief Minister described as a mahabhiyan (grand campaign) for environmental conservation.

Context

In the post, CM Yogi Adityanath stated: 'On the occasion of Van Mahotsav, all residents of Uttar Pradesh must plant at least one tree in the name of their mother. Contribute to the development of urban forests and ensure your participation in this grand campaign for environmental protection.' The message was shared on World Environment Day, June 5, lending added symbolic weight to the call for action.

Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting festival observed across India every July, first launched in 1950 by agriculturist and politician K.M. Munshi to promote afforestation and forest conservation. It has since become one of India's longest-running civic environmental observances, regularly mobilised by state governments to drive public participation in plantation drives.

Policy Backdrop

The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign is a citizen-participation initiative promoted by both the central and state governments, encouraging individuals to plant trees as a personal tribute to their mothers. The personal-dedication element was designed to deepen voluntary public involvement beyond institutional plantation drives.

Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, has undertaken large-scale plantation targets as part of its environmental and climate action commitments. These efforts align with the national Green India Mission, launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008, which set targets for expanding forest and tree cover across the country. CM Yogi Adityanath has overseen several state-level afforestation and urban greening drives since taking office in 2017.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary audience for this appeal is Uttar Pradesh's estimated 24 crore-plus residents, whose collective participation would determine the scale of the campaign's on-ground impact. Urban local bodies are also implicated, given the specific call to develop nagar vans (urban forests) — green spaces within city limits that serve as ecological buffers and recreational zones.

Urban forestry has gained policy salience in recent years as cities across Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur, and Varanasi, grapple with rising heat indices, declining air quality, and shrinking green cover. A broad public response to the Van Mahotsav drive could meaningfully supplement official plantation targets, though actual outcomes depend on post-planting survival rates and maintenance commitments.

What's Next

With Van Mahotsav typically observed in July, the state government is expected to roll out detailed campaign logistics, district-level targets, and mobilisation plans in the weeks ahead. Observers will watch for official participation figures and tree-survival data reported after the drive concludes, as well as any new urban forest targets that may surface in forest department communications or state budget documents.

The convergence of this appeal with World Environment Day signals that Uttar Pradesh intends to sustain public momentum on environmental pledges through the monsoon planting season, positioning the Van Mahotsav campaign as a flagship civic action for 2026.