Lucknow: The Government of Uttar Pradesh is set to launch a large-scale tree plantation campaign under Vriksharopan Abhiyan-2026, targeting the plantation of over 1.85 crore saplings across four districts of the Varanasi division—Varanasi, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, and Chandauli.
The campaign, scheduled to begin in the first week of July 2026, will involve participation from 28 government departments along with active public involvement, marking one of the state’s largest-ever coordinated environmental initiatives.
District-wise Plantation Targets
Among the four districts, Chandauli has been assigned the highest target with 70.11 lakh saplings, followed by Jaunpur with 52.77 lakh, Ghazipur with 47.51 lakh, and Varanasi with 15.51 lakh saplings.
Together, the total plantation target for the region stands at 1,85,92,519 saplings.
Focus on Native and Eco-friendly Species
Officials said the campaign will prioritize environmentally significant and native species that contribute to biodiversity conservation, oxygen generation, and ecological balance. The plantation drive will include trees such as peepal, banyan, pakar, arjun, jamun, amla, mango, guava, teak, shisham, and drumstick (sahjan).
Forest officials emphasized that the initiative will not only focus on plantation but also on long-term survival and maintenance of saplings to ensure sustainable green cover expansion.
Major Role of Forest Department
The Forest Department will shoulder the largest responsibility in the campaign, with a target of planting over 85 lakh saplings. Other key contributors include the Rural Development Department, Agriculture Department, Environment Department, Horticulture Department, and Panchayati Raj institutions.
A broad departmental participation plan has been designed to ensure systematic execution across rural and urban areas.
Department-wise Targets
Key allocations include:
- Forest Department: 85,01,000
- Rural Development: 54,25,319
- Agriculture: 12,20,000
- Environment: 8,10,000
- Horticulture: 7,53,000
- Panchayati Raj: 5,68,000
- Revenue: 4,01,600
- Urban Development: 1,90,400
- Other departments including education, health, energy, industry, transport, and irrigation will also contribute varying targets.
Public Participation at the Core
Officials stressed that environmental conservation cannot succeed through government efforts alone. Schools, colleges, NGOs, gram panchayats, urban local bodies, and citizens will be actively involved in the campaign to ensure mass participation.
Experts believe that the large-scale plantation drive will significantly contribute to climate change mitigation, groundwater recharge, biodiversity enhancement, and improved air quality in the region.
Officials Highlight Vision
A senior forest official from the Varanasi circle said the initiative is aimed at strengthening green cover while fostering environmental responsibility among citizens.
“This campaign is not just about planting trees but about building a culture of conservation. With joint efforts of the government and society, it will lay a strong foundation for a greener future,” the official said.
