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Target 15% green cover by 2030, 20% by 2047, says CM Yogi
Uttar Pradesh's chief minister announced ambitious targets for green cover, tying them to Mega Plantation Campaign-2026 and outlining large-scale sapling planting, nurseries expansion, and digital monitoring. Historical planting data and recent survey results are cited to support the plan, along with an emphasis on micro-planning and implementation at rural and urban levels.
Why It Matters
If achieved, the targets could significantly alter the state's climate, biodiversity, and carbon stock, while relying on digital tools to manage a massive plantation drive.
Timeline
4 Events
Mega Plantation Campaign-2026: CM's targets and monitoring tools
May 3, 2026
During Mega Plantation Campaign-2026 preparations, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced targets of 15% green cover by 2030 and 20% by 2047. He called for planting 35 crore saplings in a single day, and outlined the ongoing nursery expansion (1,935 departmental nurseries active and 34 new nurseries) and the plan to provide over 500 million saplings. The campaign will be monitored via Haritima app, GIS mapping, QR code tracking, and PMS/MMS systems; senior officials attended the meeting.
2025 special survey: 80% sapling survival rate
2025
A special survey conducted in 2025 recorded an 80% survival rate of saplings planted by the forest department.
Large-scale plantings (2017–2025): 2.4213 billion saplings planted; forest cover up, carbon stock growth
2017
Between 2017 and 2025, 2.4213 billion saplings were planted, with a 3.38 lakh acre increase in forest and tree cover taking green cover to about 9.96% and a carbon stock growth of 2.46%.
Sapling-planting data span (2009–2016): 514.8 million saplings planted
2009
The article cites that 514.8 million saplings were planted in the period between 2009 and 2016.