“Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign reaches new heights of success: CM Yogi

Lucknow, July 6 – Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, said that the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, launched on June 5 (World Environment Day) in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, is reaching new heights of success.

The CM interacted with all mayors, district panchayat chairpersons, area panchayat chairpersons, block pramukhs, zila panchayat and block panchayat members, councillors, and village heads through video conferencing for the successful implementation of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Plantation Mega Campaign–2025. He said, “Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh’s forest cover was declining. However, in the past eight years, due to well-planned efforts, the forest cover in the state has increased from 9% to 10%.”

CM Yogi further mentioned that today, Uttar Pradesh ranks second in India in terms of green cover growth. From 2017 to 2024, the state has seen an increase of 5 lakh acres in green cover. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, forest and tree cover increased by 1.38 lakh acres. Overall, from 2017 to 2023, there has been a historic increase of 3.38 lakh acres in green cover.

CM Yogi warned that global warming could become a major threat in the future — not just for animals, but for the entire human race. It could lead to landslides, heavy rainfall, floods, and more. “To prevent this, it is essential to maintain climate balance,” he added.

He emphasized the importance of everyone participating in the plantation campaign to ensure a better environment for future generations. He said the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign can only succeed if it becomes a public movement, and urged people to spread awareness.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that PM Narendra Modi has set a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. To meet this goal, increasing forest cover is essential. He encouraged farmers to plant trees along the boundaries of their fields. Under the carbon credit system, farmers will receive $5 after surveys. Last year, Rs 32.80 lakh was paid to farmers under this initiative. This year, farmers from seven divisions — Devipatan, Ayodhya, Jhansi, Mirzapur, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Aligarh — will receive Rs 42.20 lakh.

CM Yogi further emphasized the importance of river restoration, saying, “Just like arteries in the human body, rivers are lifelines for Mother Earth. When Mother Earth is safe, we are safe too. Therefore, restoring rivers is essential, and public representatives must treat this as a campaign and actively work on it.”

He also highlighted the nutritional benefits of the moringa (sahjan) plant, calling it a rich source of protein and vitamins. Under the plantation campaign, moringa saplings are being given to malnourished families to support the National Nutrition Mission.

Environment and Forest Minister Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena said that global warming is causing rising temperatures across the world. Unlike earlier, when intense heat was limited to nine specific days (Nautapa), now the entire summer month is extremely hot due to increased carbon dioxide levels. This is also causing more rainfall and floods. Prime Minister Modi has urged all citizens to participate in efforts to control this trend.

The Chief Minister emphasized on not just planting trees, but also on taking care of them. He appealed to everyone to plant fruit-bearing trees at their homes and participate in the plantation campaign. He also encouraged farmers to plant trees along field boundaries, assuring them it won’t impact their crop productivity. After five years, they will receive incentives for carbon sequestration.
CM Yogi also encouraged plantation along rivers, ponds, and in urban parks and open spaces to strengthen environmental protection.

Chief Secretary, through a video conference, informed public representatives that the Vriksharopan Maha Abhiyan 2025 (Planation Campaign) will be launched on July 9. From 2017 to 2024, around 204 crore saplings have been planted in Uttar Pradesh, marking the highest plantation in the state’s history. The Forest Department has already prepared around 45 crore saplings for the campaign.

During the interaction, the preparations of Agra Mayor Hemlata Diwakar, Varanasi Mayor Ashok Tiwari, Harsh Vardhan, President of Babrala Nagar Panchayat in Sambhal, Jalaun District Panchayat President Ghanshyam Anuragi, and other public representatives were reviewed. All of them confirmed that their preparations are complete and expressed confidence that the campaign will achieve new heights of success.