Uttar Pradesh planted over 352.7 million (352,789,926) saplings across the state on Sunday as part of a mega drive (Vraksharopan Mahayagya 2026) launched by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur, according to an official statement issued by the state government.Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the plantation drive in Gorakhpur on Sunday. (ANI PHOTO)This takes the total count of saplings planted this year to over 400 million (40,29,36,367), including the over 50 million (50,146,441) saplings planted on World Environment Day on June 5.The state had set a target of 350 million saplings for the day as part of the annual drive but exceeded it by over 2.7 million (2,789,926) saplings. Since 2017, the total number of saplings planted across the state has crossed 2.82 billion, according to official figures.During Sunday’s mega campaign, Sonbhadra in eastern Uttar Pradesh topped the list of districts, planting over 16.8 million (16,847,717) saplings.After completing the plantation drive, chief minister Yogi Adityanath wrote on X, “The ancient mantra (that) earth is my mother, and I am her son has today become a living resolve for the people of Uttar Pradesh. Inspired by the call of the Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi—”Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” and as part of the ‘Tree Plantation Mega-Campaign 2026’, the ‘New Uttar Pradesh’ of ‘New India’ has scripted a golden chapter in the history of nature conservation by planting over 35 crore saplings in a single day.”The plantation campaign began at 7am. Within an hour, over 10 million saplings were planted, the figure went up to 45.9 million by 9am and crossed 100 million by 10am.Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, who planted saplings in Lucknow and Barabanki, said, “Making this campaign successful will not only improve our environment significantly, but we can also offer a true tribute to our mothers. In the shade of the tree, we can see a mother’s affection, and the fruits from the tree will be like a mother’s blessing (prasad).”Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Satish Mahana planted saplings on the BIPARD (Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development) campus in Gaya, Bihar, where he addressed orientation and training programmes for members of the assembly. Deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya planted saplings in Jhansi.“Governor Anandiben Patel planted a sandalwood sapling at Jan Bhavan,” said Sitanshu Pandey, DFO, Lucknow.Apart from ministers, bureaucrats and staff of 26 departments took part in the plantation drive, during which principal secretary (forest) V Hekali Zhimomi planted a sapling in Lucknow.“By 12 noon, that is five hours after the start, Uttar Pradesh was half way to the total target as 175,108,985 saplings were planted and, by evening, the target was achieved,” said Aditi Sharma, chief conservator of forests.The plantation initiative is expected to increase the state’s forest carbon stock in forests, which currently stands at 2.46% compared to the national average of 1.13%.According to the official statement, “Under the ‘Vraksharopan Mahayagya 2026’, plantations were carried out on forest land, defence land, railway land, Gram Panchayat and community land, expressways, roadsides, canal banks, railway tracks, development authority land, industrial areas, medical institutions, educational institutions, other government land, farmers’ private land, and in citizens’ private premises.”To ensure complete transparency, the forest department provided real-time updates via its Android-based Plantation Monitoring software.Adityanath had directed the officials to carry out the plantation drive with transparency and effective monitoring.Accordingly, comprehensive geo-tagging arrangements were made for all plantations this year as well, the statement.“More than 5 crore (50 million) saplings were planted on June 5, and more than 35 crore (350 million) saplings on July 12. Together, the two plantation drives resulted in the plantation of over 40 crore (400 million) saplings across Uttar Pradesh,” the official statement said.