LUCKNOW (UP), JUNE 23 :  With collective support and effort, the Uttar Pradesh government plans to plant 35 crore saplings this year to expand UP’s green areas, forest department sources said here on Sunday.
Sources said that the goal is to increase the state’s green cover from 9 to 15 percent by 2026-27 with public cooperation. Specific targets have been set for all departments and divisions in the state-wide campaign.

The Yogi government has also directed proper preparations to ensure the availability of high-quality saplings for all stakeholders. As in the previous year, this year, preparations have begun for a safe plantation and the achievement of the target.

Forest, Environment, and Climate Change department has given target of planting 140 million sapling, 125.9 million to Rural Development, 25 million to Agriculture, 15.5 million to Horticulture, 12.8 million to Panchayati Raj, 10.6 million to Revenue, 3.5 million to Urban Development, 1.8 million to Higher Education, 1.4 to from Silk, 1.3 million each to Public Works, Railways, and Water Power, 1.2 million to Basic Education, 1.1 million to Health, 900,000 to Industry, 800,000 each to Industrial Development and Secondary Education, 700,000 each to Home-Animal Husbandry, 600,000 each to Energy and Cooperation, 500,000 each to Housing Development, Defence, and Technical Education, and 300,000 each to Labour and Transport.

Under the campaign, saplings will be planted in all 18 divisions. Lucknow division has been given the target of planting the maximum number of saplings. Four crore saplings will be planted in the Lucknow division. 3.13 crore in Kanpur division, 2.76 crores in Chitrakoot, 2.58 crore in Jhansi, 2.27 crore in Mirzapur, 2.20 crore in Ayodhya, 1.95 crores in Devipatan and 1.89 crores in Prayagraj.

Similarly 1.87 crores saplings will be planted in Bareilly, 1.78 crore in Varanasi, 1.76 crore in Moradabad, 1.74 crore in Agra, 1.43 crore in Gorakhpur, 1.34 crore in Azamgarh, 1.20 crore in Aligarh, 1.14 crore in Meerut division, 1.08 crore in Basti and 88 lakh in Saharanpur division. There will also be geo-tagging of plantation sites. The Forest Department will plant 12.60 crore saplings in the divisions and other departments will plant around 22.40 crore saplings.

The Yogi government has directed officials to plant trees statewide to turn UP green. Trees will planted on forest land, village panchayat and community land, around expressways and canals, on land owned by development authorities and industrial complexes, on defence and railway land, on medical and educational institution grounds, on other government properties, on private farmland with farmers’ cooperation, and by citizens on their private premises(UNI)