As part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's ambitious 35-crore plantation campaign, the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department on Sunday launched a large-scale tree plantation initiative under 'Vriksharopan Mahayagya-2026' to promote eco-tourism and strengthen environmental conservation across the state.

The campaign aims to make Uttar Pradesh's major tourist destinations greener and more sustainable while enhancing the natural appeal of heritage, religious and cultural sites.

The plantation drive was inaugurated by Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs, Amrit Abhijat, who planted a sapling at Kalli Paschim to mark the beginning of the initiative.

Under the programme, the Tourism Department plans to plant nearly one lakh saplings across tourism projects and destinations throughout the state. The drive includes native and environmentally beneficial tree species such as Peepal, Banyan, Neem, Arjun, Jamun, Mango, Mahua, Bael and Amla to improve green cover and biodiversity.



In addition to tree plantation, the department is developing theme-based green spaces, including Nakshatra Vatika, Triveni Vatika, Harishankari Vatika, Panchvati and Navgrah Vatika, as part of ongoing landscaping projects at key tourist locations.

Highlighting the importance of the campaign, Amrit Abhijat said the state is moving forward with development and environmental conservation simultaneously under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"Through 'Vriksharopan Mahayagya-2026', the Tourism Department is committed to making tourism destinations greener, more attractive and environmentally sustainable. Nature conservation is the foundation of sustainable tourism and an important step towards achieving the vision of a 'Green Uttar Pradesh'," he said.

To ensure effective implementation, plantation targets have been distributed among regional tourism offices and executing agencies. Lucknow, Varanasi and Gorakhpur have each been assigned 10,000 saplings, followed by Ayodhya (8,000), Bareilly and Chitrakoot-Jhansi (5,000 each), Agra and Prayagraj (4,000 each), Meerut (3,000), and Aligarh and Basti (2,000 each).

The Tourism Department has also entrusted agencies such as the UP State Tourism Development Corporation (UPSTDC), UP Projects Corporation, UP Jal Nigam, and UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam with carrying out the plantation drive.

Officials said every sapling planted under the campaign will be geo-tagged to enable real-time monitoring, improve accountability and ensure long-term maintenance of the plantations.

The initiative is expected to strengthen Uttar Pradesh's eco-tourism infrastructure while contributing to environmental sustainability and the state's broader green development goals.