Yogi Adityanath highlights parallel growth of infrastructure and forests in UP
Gorakhpur, July 12: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the state-wide Plantation Mahayagna 2026 from Gorakhpur on Sunday morning with the target of planting a record 35 crore saplings in a day. Under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, he planted a sapling of the sacred Triveni (Neem, Peepal, Banyan) near Bhagwanpur toll plaza on Gorakhpur Link Expressway and also took a selfie. Subsequently, addressing a public gathering held in GIDA Sector 28 to mark the Plantation Mahayagna, the Chief Minister said that over the past nine years, the state’s physical development has accelerated, and forest cover has also expanded. Returning to the Gorakhnath Temple after inaugurating the Plantation Mahayagna, Chief Minister Yogi also planted a tree along the Tal Ring Road near RKBK. He planted a Maulshree tree there.
At the Plantation event held in GIDA Sector 28, Chief Minister Yogi stated that since 2017, Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure has expanded significantly. A large network of roads, including expressways and highways, has been laid. New industries have been established, urbanization has expanded, and new colonies have sprung up. This state, which has rapidly contributed to physical development, has also achieved success in expanding forest cover through its determined efforts to protect the environment.
Chief Minister said that when a tree grows on Earth, it absorbs hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide.
He explained that the increase in forest cover in Uttar Pradesh over the past nine years has resulted in the absorption of 637,74,130 tons of carbon dioxide and the emission of 463,90,130 tons of oxygen.
Changes in the weather cycle impact agricultural production
Chief Minister stated that the environmental crisis has also impacted the weather cycle. The recent rains should have begun on June 15th. The rains are delayed by about a month. If seeds that should have been sown by June 15th are sown on July 15th, production will vary by 25 to 30 percent. He added that environmental imbalances are causing extreme heat and extreme cold. The world is constantly warning of global warming. It is feared that in the future, many coastal cities will be at risk of submergence, and there will be a severe water crisis elsewhere.
LPG connections were blacklisted during the Congress government, but the Modi government provided them free to 10 crore families
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that, under PM Modi’s vision, 100 million families across the country have been provided with free LPG connections, which were previously black marketed during the Congress government. Mothers and sisters in 100 million families across the country have been relieved of kitchen smoke. In Uttar Pradesh alone, 20 million families have benefited from this. The Chief Minister added that as President of the International Solar Alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also urged the world to embrace this.
CM Yogi stated that Ayodhya has become the state’s first solar city, and all streetlights there use solar energy. On this occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath released the short film “Nine Years of Uttar Pradesh’s Green Saga” and the “Forestry Calendar.”
The Chief Minister distributed saplings and handed out certificates to farmers under the Carbon Credit
Finance Scheme. During the Plantation Mahayagna, CM Yogi distributed saplings. He also handed out certificates to farmers who planted the most saplings along their fields under the Carbon Credit Finance Scheme. Chief Minister Yogi gifted Moringa saplings to Geeta Devi, Madhura, Ishrawati, Sheela, Kalindi, beneficiaries of the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme, to plant in front of their houses. Whereas, under the Carbon Credit Scheme, 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), who planted 850 saplings, received certificates for the amount received for carbon credit from the Chief Minister.
Welcoming Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of the plantation drive, Minister of State for Forest and Environment (Independent Charge) Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena said that under the guidance of CM Yogi, greenery has increased in UP. On this occasion, MP Ravi Kishan Shukla, Sahjanwa MLA Pradeep Shukla, State Government’s Fisheries Department Minister Sanjay Nishad, Rajya Sabha member Sangeeta Yadav, MLC and BJP State Vice President Dr. Dharmendra Singh, MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh, Shriram Chauhan, Rajesh Tripathi, Vipin Singh, Dr. Vimlesh Paswan, Mahendra Pal Singh, Sarwan Nishad, State Women Commission Vice President Charu Chaudhary, Gorakhpur’s nodal officer for the plantation drive Suhas LY, BJP’s regional president Vinod Rai, district president Janardan Tiwari, former district president Yudhishthir Singh, block chief Dilip Yadav, etc. were prominently present.
