UP embarks on herculean afforestation drive: 30 crore saplings planted by 4 PM
Lucknow, July 12: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Plantation Maha Yagna 2026 by planting neem, peepal and banyan saplings near Bhagwanpur toll plaza on Gorakhpur Link Expressway on Sunday.
Chief Minister also took a selfie after planting the saplings. From the stage of the public meeting organized on the occasion of Plantation Maha Yagna 2026, the Chief Minister released the short film ‘Green Saga of Nine Years of Uttar Pradesh’ and ‘Forestry Calendar’.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya planted saplings in Jhansi, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and State Organization General Secretary Dharampal Singh in Lucknow, State BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary at Ambedkar University in Lucknow, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi in Deoria, Water Power Minister Swatantra Dev Singh in Jalaun, Cabinet Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary in Moradabad, and Nandgopal Nandi in Prayagraj. Planting operations across the state will continue until 6 p.m. According to the Forest Department, 30 crore saplings were planted across the state by 4 p.m.
Addressing a public meeting in Gorakhpur, the Chief Minister said that the tree plantation campaign is a great sacrifice to express gratitude to Mother Earth. He said that in the last nine years, the pace of physical development in the state has accelerated, and forest cover has also expanded. While returning to the Gorakhnath Temple, the Chief Minister also planted a Maulshree sapling along the Lake Ring Road near RKBK.
Chief Minister said that we not only need to plant trees but also to properly care for them. Farmers who plant trees in their fields also receive funding under the Carbon Credit Finance Scheme. Appealing to everyone to participate in the “One Tree in the Name of Mother” campaign, the Chief Minister said that everyone should plant a tree in memory of their ancestors and relatives, and in the name of family members.
माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः
the Chief Minister described the tree-planting campaign as a great sacrifice to express gratitude to Mother Earth and emphasized the need for everyone to contribute to it. He said that Mother Earth provides us with a healthy environment, opportunities to thrive, food to fill our stomachs, good fruits, and drinking water, as well as fulfilling all our household needs. Our sages have resolutely declared about Mother Earth, “माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः,” meaning, “This Earth is our mother, and we are all her sons.”
CM distributed saplings, handed over certificates to farmers
During the programme, Yogi gifted drumstick saplings to Geeta Devi, Madhura, Ishrawati, Sheela, Kalindi, beneficiaries of the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme, to plant in front of their houses. Under the Carbon Credit Finance Scheme, he handed over certificates for the amount to be received for carbon credit to Narpati (Campierganj Gorakhpur) who planted more than 700 saplings, Ashfaq Khan (Desi Deoria) who planted more than 650 saplings, Ranjana Devi (Hata Kushinagar) who planted 800 saplings and Arvind Kumar (Padrauna Kushinagar) for planting 850 saplings.
These trees were planted as part of the plantation drive. Fruit-bearing and shade-giving trees including peepal, banyan, paakda, sycamore, mango, tamarind, drumstick, gulmohar, mango, tamarind, jamun, mahua, shisham, and neem were planted.
