In a landmark initiative to combat climate change, enhance green cover, and revive environmental consciousness among citizens, Uttar Pradesh is set to conduct a record-breaking plantation drive of 37 crore saplings on July 9, 2025. This mega initiative is part of the state’s ambitious ‘Van Mahotsav’ programme, aiming to reclaim its ecological heritage and contribute significantly to India’s national afforestation targets.
What is the July 9 plantation drive?
The plantation drive, spearheaded by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, seeks to plant 37 crore saplings in a single day, surpassing previous records and establishing Uttar Pradesh as a leader in green initiatives globally. The campaign will involve:
- Active participation from over 1 crore people, including students, farmers, NGOs, panchayati raj institutions, and government departments.
- Plantations across public, community, and private lands, with special focus on degraded forest areas, riverbanks, embankments, village commons, school premises, and urban parks.
- Integration with geo-tagging and MIS tracking systems to monitor plantation survival rates transparently.
Key features of UP’s plantation campaign
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Total saplings targeted | 37 crore |
| Primary implementing agency | UP Forest Department |
| Date of plantation | July 9, 2025 |
| Species focus | Neem, peepal, banyan, fruit-bearing varieties, medicinal plants, local agroforestry species |
| People’s participation | Students, SHGs, village committees, religious bodies, defence forces, corporates |
| Tracking system | Geo-tagging via UP Forest App for transparency and survival audit |
Why this plantation drive matters
Officials say the plantation initiative aligns with the state’s target to plant 175 crore saplings by 2026, fulfilling both National Forest Policy goals and India’s NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) under the Paris Agreement. The broader aims include:
- Increasing forest cover from current 9% to over 15% in UP’s geographical area.
- Enhancing soil health and water conservation by planting trees along riverbanks and catchment areas.
- Providing additional income to farmers through agroforestry and fruit plantations.
- Creating urban green lungs to combat severe air pollution in cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Ghaziabad.
- Promoting environmental stewardship among children and youth to sustain India’s net-zero ambitions by 2070.
Government’s preparation for July 9
The Forest Department, along with Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Education, Urban Development, and Agriculture departments, has:
- Prepared over 40 crore saplings in advance across 1,500 nurseries to ensure availability.
- Finalised plantation site maps for each gram panchayat and urban ward.
- Issued directives for individual plantation targets for MLAs, MPs, District Magistrates, BDOs, and institutional heads to ensure accountability.
- Designed a public dashboard where citizens can upload geo-tagged images of their planted saplings.
- Planned mass awareness campaigns, including rallies, plantation pledges in schools, and digital contests for environment-themed artworks and essays.
Past plantation records in Uttar Pradesh
| Year | Saplings planted |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 5 crore |
| 2018 | 11 crore |
| 2019 | 22 crore |
| 2020 | 25 crore |
| 2021 | 30 crore |
| 2022 | 35 crore |
| 2023 | 36 crore |
| 2025 Target | 37 crore |
Officials claim UP’s plantation drives have cumulatively added over 160 crore saplings in the past eight years, setting benchmarks for environmental mass mobilisation.
CM Yogi Adityanath’s appeal
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, addressing officials and citizens, said:
“This is not just a plantation programme, it is a people’s movement to ensure a greener, healthier, and sustainable Uttar Pradesh. Let us all take a pledge to plant and protect trees, for our generation and those to come.”
He also emphasised the importance of post-plantation care, instructing departments to ensure survival rates exceed 80%, compared to 60-70% achieved previously.
Experts’ views on UP’s plantation initiative
Dr. Amita Singh, Forest Policy Analyst, stated:
“Such mega drives are inspiring and essential for India’s net-zero pathway. However, ensuring species diversity, plantation at ecologically suitable sites, and survival monitoring are key to long-term success.”
Ravi Chauhan, Agroforestry Practitioner, added:
“Combining fruit-bearing trees with agroforestry models will benefit farmers economically and enhance landscape resilience.”
Challenges to address
While the drive has been widely appreciated, experts highlight challenges:
- Survival rates often drop if plantation is done without soil preparation, fencing, and watering.
- Species selection must be localised, avoiding monoculture plantations that disrupt ecosystems.
- Maintenance funding and manpower post-plantation remain weak links in state afforestation programmes.
- Climatic uncertainties, especially erratic monsoon rains, may impact sapling establishment.
Innovative measures introduced this year
The Forest Department has announced several innovations:
- Tree Adoption Scheme: Citizens can adopt trees and receive periodic growth updates.
- Drone mapping of plantation sites for accurate assessment and record maintenance.
- Collaboration with private companies under CSR for plantation funding and maintenance.
- Involvement of religious leaders and spiritual organisations to mobilise wider participation through temple, mosque, and gurudwara networks.
National significance of the initiative
Uttar Pradesh’s plantation drive complements India’s Green India Mission, aiming to:
- Enhance forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares.
- Improve quality of forests on another 5 million hectares.
- Sequester additional 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030, as committed in India’s Paris climate pledge.
Social media buzz
The announcement has sparked widespread positivity across social media with hashtags like #UPGreenDrive #VanMahotsav #Plant4Future trending. Citizens have posted personal pledges to plant at least five saplings each, while schools are organising plantation oath-taking events.
Conclusion
Uttar Pradesh’s historic 37-crore plantation drive on July 9 represents a powerful step towards environmental restoration, climate resilience, and public mobilisation for a greener India. While the scale is unprecedented, the true success of the initiative will depend on careful execution, scientific planning, and sustained post-plantation maintenance to ensure that each sapling planted grows into a strong tree, securing ecological and economic dividends for generations to come.
Disclaimer: This news article is for informational purposes only. Plantation survival depends on weather, soil, and post-plantation care. Readers are encouraged to verify official announcements for participation and guidelines before plantation activities.
