LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh has scripted another milestone in India’s environmental conservation efforts, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announcing that the state has successfully achieved the target of planting 40 crore saplings under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. Calling the achievement a “new milestone” for the state, the Chief Minister described it as a testament to the growing strength of “New Uttar Pradesh” in the “New India”, while urging citizens to make tree plantation an integral part of family celebrations and everyday life.
Sharing the announcement on X, CM Yogi said the achievement under ‘Vriksharopan Mahayagya-2026’ reflects Uttar Pradesh’s unwavering commitment to environmental conservation through public participation.
मेरे सम्मानित प्रदेशवासियों,
वृक्षारोपण महायज्ञ-2026 के अंतर्गत 'एक पेड़ माँ के नाम' अभियान में प्रदेश ने 40 करोड़ पौधरोपण का लक्ष्य पूरा कर नया इतिहास रचा है। यह 'नए भारत' के 'नए उत्तर प्रदेश' के नवसामर्थ्य का जयघोष है।
प्रकृति के प्रति कृतज्ञता, आने वाली पीढ़ियों के प्रति… pic.twitter.com/ERqrmy4FCR
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) July 13, 2026
“Under the Vriksharopan Mahayagya-2026, the state has achieved a new milestone by successfully meeting the target of planting 40 crore saplings under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. This is a triumphant proclamation of the newfound strength of the ‘New Uttar Pradesh’ in the ‘New India’,” the Chief Minister wrote.
He described the campaign as much more than a plantation drive, calling it a movement rooted in gratitude towards nature, responsibility towards future generations and a commitment to preserving life.
“Encompassing gratitude towards nature, responsibility towards future generations, and a message of life conservation, this campaign is a grand festival of eternal consciousness. I urge each one of you to integrate tree plantation with the rituals and celebrations of your lives.”
The CM appealed to people across the state to dedicate trees during weddings, birthdays, festivals and other family occasions, saying every sapling planted today would become the foundation of a greener and more prosperous Uttar Pradesh.
“By linking family auspicious occasions, festive events, and special days with tree planting, we can fulfil our duty towards nature. It is these saplings that will form the foundation of a green, secure, and prosperous state for the coming generations,” he added.
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, Uttar Pradesh’s forest cover has increased to 15,045.80 sq km, up from 14,927.37 sq km in 2021, reflecting a satellite-verified rise in the state’s green cover.
UP's forest cover rose to 15,045.80 sq km as per the latest ISFR data, up from 14,927.37 sq km just two years earlier, satellite verified growth, not a standalone claim.
Today's 35 crore saplings under ek ped maa ke naam are meant to build directly onto that trend, and the way… pic.twitter.com/6EA1kJp48a
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) July 12, 2026
Building on this progress, the state launched its 35-crore sapling plantation drive under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. Unlike conventional plantation programmes, the initiative witnessed large-scale public participation, with farmers, students, panchayats, senior citizens and families joining hands from 7 am to 7 pm to plant trees, reinforcing Uttar Pradesh’s sustained push towards environmental conservation and expanding green cover.
On July 12, CM Yogi formally launched ‘Maha Vriksharopan 2026’, describing it as a grand expression of gratitude towards Mother Earth. Speaking at the launch, he said the Earth provides humanity with food, water, favourable environmental conditions and opportunities for progress, making environmental protection a collective responsibility.
“This is a grand endeavour to express gratitude to Mother Earth. She provides us all with a favourable environment and offers opportunities for progress. She yields the grain that sustains us, provides fruits, water and fulfils all our needs,” he said.
As part of the campaign, the Chief Minister himself planted a sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also participated in the plantation drive at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University, urging every citizen to plant a tree in the name of their mother. Calling the campaign one of Uttar Pradesh’s greatest environmental achievements, Pathak highlighted the state’s progress over the last nine years under CM Yogi Adityanath’s leadership.
“Today, across the state under this campaign, a massive drive has been initiated to plant more than 35 crore trees from 7 AM till 7 PM. From 2017 till now, our government has established a massive milestone in tree plantation across the state. Whenever forests, jungles and tree cover are discussed nationally, Uttar Pradesh ranks number one in increasing forest cover,” he said.
He added that the campaign represents more than environmental protection. “Planting ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ is not merely an environmental conservation drive but also a true tribute to our mothers. The shade of a tree reflects a mother’s affection and its fruits are like her blessings,” he said while appealing to people to participate wholeheartedly.
The latest achievement is part of a sustained afforestation movement spanning almost a decade. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Uttar Pradesh has planted over 242 crore saplings during the last nine years through extensive public participation or Jan Sahbhagita, making it one of the world’s largest people-driven afforestation campaigns.
The state has consistently raised the scale of its plantation drives:
- July 2024: Uttar Pradesh planted over 36.5 crore saplings in a single day during the first edition of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, launched by PM Modi on World Environment Day.
- July 2025: The state surpassed its own record by planting more than 37.21 crore saplings in one day under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’, setting a new world record.
- June 5, 2026 (World Environment Day): Uttar Pradesh achieved its target of planting more than five crore saplings, paving the way for the July plantation campaign.
- July 2026: The state has now announced the successful plantation of 40 crore saplings, surpassing previous milestones.
Students, farmers, lawyers, government employees, elected representatives, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and thousands of voluntary organisations participated in these drives, transforming them into a genuine people’s movement.
The large-scale plantation campaigns are also showing measurable environmental results. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, Uttar Pradesh’s:
- Forest cover increased from 14,927.37 sq km in 2021 to 15,045.80 sq km in 2023.
- Tree cover expanded from 8,510.16 sq km to 8,950.92 sq km during the same period.
The figures indicate that the plantation drives are translating into tangible improvements in the state’s green landscape rather than remaining symbolic exercises.
The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign was launched by PM Modi on World Environment Day, June 5, 2024, after he planted a Peepal sapling at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. The campaign urges every Indian to plant a tree in the name of their mother, combining environmental responsibility with an emotional tribute to motherhood.
Prime Minister Modi described trees as life-giving entities that nurture and protect humanity just as mothers do, making the initiative both an ecological mission and a deeply personal movement. The campaign has received nationwide participation from ministries, state governments and citizens.
By September 25, 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had already achieved its ambitious target of planting 80 crore saplings, accomplishing the goal five days ahead of schedule through collaborative efforts involving government agencies, local communities and other stakeholders.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also joined the initiative by planting nearly 7,000 trees across urban and rural India during the Swachhata hi Seva campaign. To further strengthen public participation, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ mobile application, allowing citizens to upload photographs of planted trees, geo-tag locations, track carbon credits and monitor the growth of their saplings over time.
