Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the mega plantation drive, ‘Maha Vriksharopan 2026’ with a target to plant 35 crore saplings across the state under the central theme “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (One Tree in the Name of Mother), is a grand endeavour to express gratitude to Mother Earth.Speaking at a program organised under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, he said, “This is a grand endeavour to express gratitude to Mother Earth. She provides us all with a favourable environment and offers opportunities for progress. She yields the grain that sustains us and produces fruits. She makes water available for us to drink and fulfils all the needs.”The Chief Minister will launch the Maha Vriksharopan 2026 initiative from here with the goal of planting 35 crore trees in the State of Uttar Pradesh.Earlier today, CM Yogi planted a tree under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also planted a tree under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative of the central government ahead of Maha Vriksharopan 2026 at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University.Pathak noted it as a massive milestone in the last 9 years under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He emphasised that Uttar Pradesh ranks number one in the country in increasing forest cover in terms of forests, trees, and jungles.“Today, across the state under this campaign, a massive drive has been initiated to plant more than 35 crore trees from 7:00 AM in the morning until 7:00 PM in the evening. We all know that from 2017 until now, in these more than 9 years, our government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi, has established a massive milestone in tree plantation across the entire state. On a national scale, whenever there is a discussion about forests, jungles, or trees, we have ranked number one across the country in increasing forest cover. This means that from 2017 until now, the number of jungles, forests, and trees in our possession has increased manifold,” he said.Speaking to the reporters, he further appealed to the people of the State to plant a tree, emphasising that the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative is not merely an environmental conservation drive but also a tribute to mothers.“Making this campaign successful will not only improve our environment significantly, but by planting ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, 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). I appeal to all the citizens of the state to connect with this initiative, make this mega-campaign successful, and definitely plant a tree in the name of their mother,” he said.The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks to encourage public participation in environmental protection and create awareness about the importance of increasing tree cover.The initiative combines the emotional connection associated with mothers with a collective call for environmental responsibility, encouraging citizens to plant trees as a contribution towards a sustainable future.