UP Mega Tree Plantation Drive: Yogi targets 35 crore saplings in 2026
Synopsis
Uttar Pradesh has set a record target of 35 crore saplings in a single year, with CM Yogi Adityanath personally launching the drive from Gorakhpur on 12 July. Framed around the culturally resonant 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' theme and mobilising 27 government departments, this is one of the largest coordinated plantation campaigns any Indian state has attempted — and its real test will be sapling survival, not just planting numbers.
Key Takeaways
CM Yogi Adityanath launched the Mega Tree Plantation Drive from Gorakhpur on 12 July 2026 .
Uttar Pradesh has set a record target of planting 35 crore saplings this year under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign.
Gorakhpur alone is tasked with planting 55,28,600 saplings as part of the state-wide drive.
The drive is being coordinated across 27 government departments , with the Forest Department holding the largest share of the target.
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and ministers Sanjay Nishad and Arun Kumar Saxena were present at the launch.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday, 12 July launched the state-wide Mega Tree Plantation Drive — dubbed Plantation Mahayagya — from Gorakhpur, personally planting a sapling near the Gorakhpur Link Expressway along Tal Ring Road under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (A Tree in Mother's Name) campaign. The state has set an ambitious target of planting 35 crore saplings this year, making it one of the largest single-year plantation drives in UP's history.
Launch and Key Officials Present
Cabinet Minister Sanjay Nishad and Minister of State for Forest and Environment (Independent Charge) Arun Kumar Saxena were present alongside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the launch event near RKBK in Gorakhpur. The drive is being implemented through the coordinated participation of 27 government departments, with the Forest Department assigned the largest share of the overall planting target.
Gorakhpur's Role and District Targets
Gorakhpur has been assigned a specific target of planting 55,28,600 saplings as part of the state-wide initiative. According to officials, all logistical and operational preparations for the campaign have been completed under the coordination of the Forest Department, with nurseries and distribution networks readied across districts ahead of the launch.
What the Chief Minister Said
Ahead of the launch, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared a message on X, underscoring the cultural dimensions of environmental conservation. 'In Indian culture, the conservation of nature is not merely an environmental obligation but an expression of gratitude. We regard the Earth as Mother, rivers as life-givers, and trees as the source of life-sustaining air (Pranvayu),' he wrote.
He added: 'That is why tree plantation is not just a formal event for us, but an opportunity to express gratitude towards nature that has bestowed upon us life, food, water, and energy. The mega tree plantation drive on July 12 is a grand celebration of this very gratitude.'
Deputy CM's Appeal to Citizens
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak urged citizens across Uttar Pradesh to actively participate in the campaign. 'Today, the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign is being launched in Uttar Pradesh. Under this initiative, the state has set a target of planting over 35 crore saplings. The entire government, all Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, and the general public are participating in this campaign with great enthusiasm. I appeal to the people of the state to plant a tree in their mother's name and make the state green,' Pathak said.
Significance and What Comes Next
The state government has positioned the plantation drive as one of its largest-ever environmental initiatives, framing it as a convergence of ecological conservation and cultural sentiment through the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' theme. This comes amid growing national focus on urban heat islands and declining green cover in densely populated states. With 27 departments mobilised and a 35 crore target on the board, the drive's success will ultimately be measured by verified survival rates of planted saplings — a metric that has historically been a challenge for large-scale plantation campaigns across India.
Point of View
But India's large-scale plantation drives have a persistent credibility problem: planting counts are easy to report, survival rates are not. UP has run ambitious green drives before, and the gap between saplings planted and trees that actually survive past the monsoon season has rarely been independently audited. With 27 departments involved, coordination is a strength — but diffused accountability is a risk. The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' framing is politically astute, converting an environmental obligation into an emotional public participation moment, yet the ecological impact will depend entirely on follow-through monitoring that past campaigns have struggled to sustain.
NationPress
12 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UP Mega Tree Plantation Drive launched by CM Yogi Adityanath?
It is a state-wide plantation campaign launched on 12 July 2026 from Gorakhpur, targeting the planting of 35 crore saplings across Uttar Pradesh in a single year. The drive is being implemented under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (A Tree in Mother's Name) theme through 27 government departments.
What is the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign?
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' translates to 'A Tree in Mother's Name' and is the cultural theme anchoring UP's 2026 plantation drive. It encourages citizens to plant a tree as a tribute to their mothers, framing environmental conservation as an act of personal and cultural gratitude.
How many saplings is Gorakhpur expected to plant?
Gorakhpur has been assigned a target of 55,28,600 saplings as part of the state-wide Mega Tree Plantation Drive. The district was also the launch site of the campaign, where CM Yogi Adityanath personally planted the first sapling.
Which departments are involved in the plantation drive?
A total of 27 government departments are participating in the campaign in a coordinated manner. The Forest Department has been assigned the largest share of the overall 35 crore sapling target.
Why does the scale of this plantation drive matter?
A target of 35 crore saplings in a single year is one of the largest single-season plantation goals set by any Indian state. It reflects growing urgency around green cover and urban heat management in Uttar Pradesh, though experts note that verified sapling survival — not just planting numbers — is the true measure of ecological impact.
