# Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an Indian government ministry. The ministry portfolio is currently held by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The ministry is responsible for planning, promoting, coordinating, and overseeing the implementation of environmental and forestry programmes in the country. The main activities undertaken by the ministry include conservation and survey of the flora of India and fauna of India, forests and other wilderness areas; prevention and control of pollution; Indian Himalayan Environment and its sustainable development; afforestation, and land degradation mitigation. It is responsible for the administration of the national parks of India.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the cadre controlling authority of the Indian Forest Service (IFS), one of the three All India Services.

## History

Environmental debates were first introduced into the national political agenda during Indira Gandhi's first term as Prime Minister of India. The 4th Five-Year Plan (1969–74), for example, proclaimed "harmonious development [...] on the basis of a comprehensive appraisal of environmental issues." In 1977 (during the Emergency) Gandhi added Article 48A to the constitution stating that: "The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country." The same decree transferred wildlife and forests from state list to concurrent list of the constitution, thus giving the central government the power to overrule state decisions on that matter. Such political and constitutional changes prepared the groundwork for the creation of a federal Department of Environment in 1980, turned into the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1985. Although tackling climate change was already a responsibility of the ministry, its priority was raised when in May 2014 the ministry was renamed to the current title of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

## Administration

The forest administration is based on demarcation of states into Forest Divisions which consists of Forest Ranges. Forest Beats under Ranges are the smallest unit of administration hierarchy. Natural features on the field form the boundaries of each beat which has an average area of around 16 km square.

## Organisation

* Indian Forest Service (IFS)
* Authorities
** Central Zoo Authority of India, New Delhi
** National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai
** National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi
* Subordinate offices
** Andaman & Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation (Public Sector Undertaking)
** Animal Welfare Board of India, Chennai
** Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata
** Central Pollution Control Board
** Environmental Information System (ENVIS)
** Odisha State Pollution Control Board
** Delhi Pollution Control Committee
** Directorate of Forest Education
** Forest Survey of India
** Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy
** National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board
** National Board of Wildlife
** National Institute of Animal Welfare
** National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), New Delhi
** National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi
** Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata
* Centres of excellence
** Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad
** C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre, Chennai
** Centre for Animals and Environment, Bangalore
** Centre of Excellence in Environmental Economics, Chennai
** Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, Bangalore
** Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bangalore
** Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystem, New Delhi
** Centre for Mining Environment, Dhanbad
** Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore
** Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram
* Autonomous institutions
** G. B.Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora
** Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal
** Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute, Bengaluru
** Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun
** Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun

## Cabinet Ministers

* Note: MoS, I/C – Minister of State (Independent Charge)
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Minister of Environment and Forests |||||||||||
| 1 | | | Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991) MP for Amethi (Prime Minister) | 31 December 1984 | 22 October 1986 | 1 year, 295 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 2 | | | Bhajan Lal (1930–2011) Rajya Sabha MP for Haryana | 22 October 1986 | 14 February 1988 | 1 year, 115 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 3 | | | Ziaur Rahman Ansari (1925–1992) MP for Unnao (MoS, I/C until 25 June 1988) | 14 February 1988 | 2 December 1989 | 1 year, 291 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| – | | | Vishwanath Pratap Singh (1931–2008) MP for Fatehpur (Prime Minister) | 2 December 1989 | 23 April 1990 | 142 days | Janata Dal | Vishwanath | | Vishwanath Pratap Singh |
| 4 | | | Nilamani Routray (1920–2004) MP for Puri | 23 April 1990 | 10 November 1990 | 201 days | Janata Dal | Vishwanath | | Vishwanath Pratap Singh |
| 5 | | | Maneka Gandhi (born 1956) MP for Pilibhit (MoS, I/C) | 10 November 1990 | 21 June 1991 | 223 days | Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) | Chandra Shekhar | | Chandra Shekhar |
| 6 | | | Kamal Nath (born 1946) MP for Chhindwara (MoS, I/C) | 21 June 1991 | 15 September 1995 | 4 years, 86 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 7 | | | Rajesh Pilot (1945–2000) MP for Dausa (MoS, I/C) | 15 September 1995 | 16 May 1996 | 244 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| – | | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister) | 16 May 1996 | 1 June 1996 | 16 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee I | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| – | | | H. D. Deve Gowda (born 1933) Unelected (Prime Minister) | 1 June 1996 | 29 June 1996 | 28 days | Janata Dal | Deve Gowda | | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 8 | | | Jai Narain Prasad Nishad (1930–2018) MP for Muzaffarpur (MoS, I/C) | 29 June 1996 | 21 February 1997 | 237 days | Janata Dal | Deve Gowda | | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 9 | | | Saifuddin Soz (born 1937) Rajya Sabha MP for Jammu and Kashmir | 21 February 1997 | 21 April 1997 | 1 year, 26 days | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference | Deve Gowda | | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 9 | | | Saifuddin Soz (born 1937) Rajya Sabha MP for Jammu and Kashmir | 21 April 1997 | 19 March 1998 | 1 year, 26 days | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference | Gujral | | Inder Kumar Gujral |
| 10 | | | Suresh Prabhu (born 1953) MP for Rajapur | 19 March 1998 | 13 October 1999 | 1 year, 208 days | Shiv Sena | Vajpayee II | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 11 | | | T. R. Baalu (born 1941) MP for Chennai South | 13 October 1999 | 21 December 2003 | 4 years, 69 days | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| – | | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister) | 21 December 2003 | 9 January 2004 | 19 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 12 | | | Ramesh Bais (born 1947) MP for Raipur (MoS, I/C) | 9 January 2004 | 22 May 2004 | 134 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 13 | | | A. Raja (born 1963) MP for Perambalur | 23 May 2004 | 15 May 2007 | 2 years, 357 days | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| – | | | Manmohan Singh (1932–2024) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister) | 15 May 2007 | 22 May 2009 | 2 years, 7 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 14 | | | Jairam Ramesh (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for Andhra Pradesh (MoS, I/C) | 22 May 2009 | 12 July 2011 | 2 years, 51 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 15 | | | Jayanthi Natarajan (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for Tamil Nadu (MoS, I/C) | 12 July 2011 | 21 December 2013 | 2 years, 162 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 16 | | | Veerappa Moily (born 1940) MP for Chikballapur | 21 December 2013 | 26 May 2014 | 156 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |||||||||||
| 17 | | | Prakash Javadekar (born 1951) Rajya Sabha MP for Madhya Pradesh (MoS, I/C) | 26 May 2014 | 5 July 2016 | 2 years, 40 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 18 | | | Anil Madhav Dave (1956–2017) Rajya Sabha MP for Madhya Pradesh (MoS, I/C) | 5 July 2016 | 18 May 2017 (died in office) | 317 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 19 | | | Harsh Vardhan (born 1954) MP for Chandni Chowk | 18 May 2017 | 30 May 2019 | 2 years, 12 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| (17) | | | Prakash Javadekar (born 1951) Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra | 31 May 2019 | 7 July 2021 | 2 years, 37 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 20 | | | Bhupender Yadav (born 1969) Rajya Sabha MP for Rajasthan MP for Alwar | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 3 years, 230 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 20 | | | Bhupender Yadav (born 1969) Rajya Sabha MP for Rajasthan MP for Alwar | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 3 years, 230 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | | Narendra Modi |

## Ministers of State

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Minister of State for Environment and Forests |||||||||||
| 1 | | | Vir Sen MP for Khurja | 31 December 1984 | 25 September 1985 | 268 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 2 | | | Ziaur Rahman Ansari (1925–1992) MP for Unnao | 25 September 1985 | 14 February 1988 | 2 years, 142 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 3 | | | Sumati Oraon (born 1935) MP for Lohardaga | 4 July 1989 | 2 December 1989 | 151 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 4 | | | Maneka Gandhi (born 1956) MP for Pilibhit | 6 December 1989 | 6 November 1990 | 335 days | Janata Dal | Vishwanath | | Vishwanath Pratap Singh |
| 5 | | | Jai Narain Prasad Nishad (1930–2018) MP for Muzaffarpur | 1 June 1996 | 29 June 1996 | 28 days | Janata Dal | Deve Gowda | | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 6 | | | Babulal Marandi (born 1958) MP for Dumka | 19 March 1998 | 13 October 1999 | 2 years, 233 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee II | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 6 | | | Babulal Marandi (born 1958) MP for Dumka | 13 October 1999 | 7 November 2000 | 2 years, 233 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 7 | | | Dilip Singh Judeo (1949–2013) MP for Chhattisgarh (Rajya Sabha) | 29 January 2003 | 17 November 2003 | 292 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 8 | | | Namo Narain Meena (born 1943) MP for Sawai Madhopur | 23 May 2004 | 22 May 2009 | 4 years, 364 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 9 | | | S. Regupathy (born 1950) MP for Pudukkottai | 15 May 2007 | 22 May 2009 | 2 years, 7 days | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change |||||||||||
| 10 | | | Mahesh Sharma (born 1959) MP for Gautam Buddh Nagar | 3 September 2017 | 30 May 2019 | 1 year, 269 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 11 | | | Babul Supriyo (born 1970) MP for Asansol | 31 May 2019 | 7 July 2021 | 2 years, 37 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 12 | | | Ashwini Kumar Choubey (born 1953) MP for Buxar | 7 July 2021 | 10 June 2024 | 2 years, 339 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 13 | | | Kirti Vardhan Singh (born 1966) MP for Gonda | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 257 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | | Narendra Modi |

## Initiatives

In August 2019 Ministry of Environment released the Draft National Resource Efficiency Policy. It is a set of guidelines which envisions a future with environmentally sustainable and equitable economic growth. The policy is guided by principle of reduction in primary resource consumption; creation of higher value with less material through resource efficient circular approach; waste minimization; material security and creation of employment opportunities and business model beneficial to cause of environment protection and restoration. It was based on the report of NITI Aayog and European Union titled, The strategy on resource efficiency. The policy seeks to set up a National Resource Efficiency Authority with core working group housed in the Ministry. It also plans to offer tax benefits on recycled materials and soft loans to set up waste disposal and material recovery facilities.
As of 8 December 2021, some states have received more than Rupees 47,000 crore for afforestation. The states are directed to channel this amount as compensatory afforestation which shall be used for plantations, assisted natural forest regeneration, forest fire-prevention, pest and disease control in forest, and expedite soil and moisture conservation works.