Lucknow, July 9: In a historic feat, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government planted over 37 crore saplings in a single day as part of the ambitious ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ campaign, surpassing its target and setting a new benchmark for environmental initiatives.
By 6:06 PM on Wednesday, a staggering 37,21,40,925 saplings had been planted across the state—21.4 lakh more than the targeted 37 crore. The massive afforestation drive was launched under the Plantation Mega Campaign 2025, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to plant a tree in the name of one’s mother.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the drive in Ayodhya, planting banyan, neem, and peepal trees at Triveni Vatika on the banks of the Saryu River, dedicating them to Lord Ram, Mother Earth, and his own mother. He later participated in plantation events in Azamgarh and Gorakhpur, including the inauguration of Harishankari Vatika and a drive at the Gorakhpur Fertiliser Plant.
The state-wide campaign covered forest lands, defence and railway properties, roadsides, canals, educational campuses, healthcare institutions, and private farmlands, among others. To ensure transparency and efficiency, the Forest Department used an Android-based Plantation Monitoring System, incorporating geo-tagging and real-time monitoring.
Calling it a moment of “immense pride and emotion”, CM Yogi thanked citizens, students, officials, volunteers, and farmers for their enthusiastic participation. “This isn’t just a number; it’s a powerful message of Uttar Pradesh’s commitment to protecting nature,” he said.
He credited the campaign’s success to PM Modi’s leadership, calling it a symbol of India’s rising environmental awareness and collective responsibility towards combating climate change.
