UP to increase its forest cover from 9% to 15% by 2026-2027

Lucknow: In a unique initiative to increase the green area from 9 % to 15 % by 2026-2027, the Uttar Pradesh government has set a target of planting 35 crore saplings and protecting them this year. The government has set plantation targets for all the departments and divisions as part of the statewide campaign that will run from July 1 to 7

The Yogi government has also given instructions for availability of high-quality saplings to people. Furthermore, the government has directed officials to prepare for planting five crore saplings on Independence Day.

The Yogi government aims at achieving the department-wise targets through cooperation of people. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave instructions in this regard at a recent meeting to make the campaign successful. The departmental plantation targets include 14 crore saplings for Forests, Environment and Climate Change, 12.59 crore for Rural Development, 2.50 crore for Agriculture, 1.55 crore for Horticulture department, 1.28 crore for Panchayati Raj, 1.06 crore for Revenue, 35 lakh for Urban Development, 18 lakh for Higher Education, 14 lakh each for Silk, 13 lakh for Public Works, Railways and Jal Shakti, 12 lakh for Basic Education, 11 lakh for Health department, 9 lakh for Industry, eight lakh each for Industrial Development and Secondary Education department, seven lakh each for Home and Animal Husbandry, six lakh each for energy and cooperative, five lakh each for Housing Development, Defense and Technical Education and three lakh each for Labor and Transport departments.

Saplings will be planted in 18 divisions

Saplings will also be planted in all the 18 divisions under the campaign. Lucknow division has been given the highest target of planting four crore saplings. Besides, 3.13 crore saplings will be planted in Kanpur division, 2.76 crore in Chitrakoot, 2.58 crore in Jhansi, 2.27 crore in Mirzapur, 2.20 crore in Ayodhya, 1.95 crore in Devipatan, 1.89 crore in Prayagraj, 1.87 crore in Bareilly, 1.78 crore in Varanasi, 1.76 crores 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. On the other hand, 12.60 crore saplings will be planted by the Forest Department and about 22.40 crore saplings by other departments in the mandals.

In order to make the entire state green, the Yogi government has asked the officials to plant trees in Forest land, village panchayat and community land, land surrounding expressways and canals, development authority industrial complex land, land for industrial complexes, defense-railway land, land for medical and educational institutions, and other state land with the cooperation of farmers.