Lucknow, Jun 2 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government aims to plant 30 crore saplings in this year's plantation drive beginning July first week.

Last year, on July 6, chief minister Yogi Adityanath oversaw the planting of 26.75 crore saplings of 201 varieties in a single day under Mission Vriksharopan 2020 and the Van Mahotsav campaign.

Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari has asked all district magistrates to identify land and supply saplings for the purpose to the district forest officers (DFOs) by June 15.

The chief secretary has directed district magistrates to immediately convene the meetings of plantation committees and ensure that the target is met.

He also directed district magistrates and commissioners to hold weekly and fortnightly meetings respectively, to review preparations and progress.

Tiwari asked officials to ensure saplings were also planted at cow shelters across the state and requested them to issue a detailed plantation guideline for maintaining consistency in the drive.

Last year on July 6, chief minister Yogi Adityanath oversaw the planting of 26.75 crore saplings of 201 types in a single day under Mission Vriksharopan 2020 and the Van Mahotsav campaign and set a new record.

The saplings were planted outside 30 lakh houses built under the PM Awas Yojana and another 1.50 crore saplings along rivers.

The chief minister had then claimed that of the 22 crore saplings planted and geo-tagged in the state in 2019, as much as 95 per cent had survived.

The government claims to have planted 5 crore, 11 crore and 22 crore saplings in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.