Lok Sabha Question No. 3444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Conservation of Forest
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ravi Kishan Shukla, Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Nishikant  Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3444

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2020

## Conservation of Forest

3444.   SHRI RAVI KISHAN: SHRI MANOJ KOTAK: DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)   whether the forest cover of the country has been continuously depleting;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (c)   whether the Government has formulated an appropriate programme for adequate development  and  conservation  of  forest  cover  in  the  country  and  for  the  development  of forest based industries and people working therein; and
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  funds  released  in  this  regard  during  the  last  three years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) & (b ) Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the  assessment of forest and tree cover (FTC) of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The total FTC of the country, as per the ISFR 2019 is 8,07,276 km 2 which is 24.56% of the total geographical area of the country. This is an increase of 5,188 km 2 (forest cover 3,976 km 2 and tree cover 1,212 km 2 ) as compared to that of FTC in ISFR-2017 and 13,209 km 2 (forest cover 10,754 km 2 , tree cover 2,455 km 2 ) as compared to FTC in ISFR, 2015. The State/Union Territories wise increase in forest cover as per ISFR 2015, 2017 and 2019 are given in Annexure-I.
- (c) & (d) For development and conservation of the forest cover in the country, Ministry has been taking several initiatives. These include ongoing Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Ministry such as National  Afforestation  Programme,  National  Mission  for  a  Green  India  and  Development  of Wildlife  Habitats.  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Rules,  2018  also  contain  provisions  for taking  up  assisted  natural  regeneration,  artificial  regeneration  and  silvicultural  operations  in forests which contribute to increase in forest cover. Afforestation activities are also taken up by

other Ministries under various programmes/funding sources such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and under the schemes/plans of States and Union Territories (UTs).

Further, Government of India has taken the following steps for growth and progress of Forest Based Industries:-

- (i) Ministry of Agriculture had formulated the National Agroforestry Policy 2014 with the objectives, inter alia, to meet the raw material requirements of wood based industries and reduce import of wood and wood products to save foreign exchange.
- (ii) Ministry has issued suggestive guidelines for felling and transit regulation for tree species grown on non-forest private land with an aim to create a conducive environment, which encourages plantation of trees on farmlands/homestead.
- (iii) Ministry has issued Wood Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016  and  subsequent  amendments  made  therein  to  streamline  the  regulatory  processes concerning the wood based industries for the development of the sector in the country.

State/UT-wise details of funds released under Compensatory Afforestation Funds, Green India Mission and National Afforestation Programme for the last three years are given in AnnexureII, III and IV respectively.

******

## Annexure I Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3444

## due for answer on 13.03.2020 regarding ' Conservation of Forest'

(Area in sq km)

| Forest cover of States/UTs   | Forest cover of States/UTs   | Forest cover of States/UTs   | Forest cover of States/UTs                    | Forest cover of States/UTs          | Forest cover of States/UTs          | Forest cover of States/UTs                   | Forest cover of States/UTs                  |
|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                       | State                        | Geo- graphical Area          | Total Forest Cover As per ISFR 2015 (Updated) | Total Forest Cover As per ISFR 2017 | Total Forest Cover As per ISFR 2019 | Change in forest cover w.r.t. ISFR 2015-2017 | Change in forest cover w.r.t ISFR 2017-2019 |
| 1                            | Andhra Pradesh               | 162,968                      | 26,006                                        | 28,147                              | 29,137                              | 2,141                                        | 990                                         |
| 2                            | Arunachal Pradesh            | 83,743                       | 67,154                                        | 66,964                              | 66,688                              | -190                                         | -276                                        |
| 3                            | Assam                        | 78,438                       | 27,538                                        | 28,105                              | 28,327                              | 567                                          | 222                                         |
| 4                            | Bihar                        | 94,163                       | 7,254                                         | 7,299                               | 7,306                               | 45                                           | 7                                           |
| 5                            | Chhattisgarh                 | 135,192                      | 55,559                                        | 55,547                              | 55,611                              | -12                                          | 64                                          |
| 6                            | Delhi                        | 1,483                        | 188.77                                        | 192.41                              | 195.44                              | 3.64                                         | 3.03                                        |
| 7                            | Goa                          | 3,702                        | 2,210                                         | 2,229                               | 2,237                               | 19                                           | 8                                           |
| 8                            | Gujarat                      | 196,244                      | 14,710                                        | 14,757                              | 14,857                              | 47                                           | 100                                         |
| 9                            | Haryana                      | 44,212                       | 1,580                                         | 1,588                               | 1,602                               | 8                                            | 14                                          |
| 10                           | Himachal Pradesh             | 55,673                       | 14,707                                        | 15,100                              | 15,434                              | 393                                          | 334                                         |
| 11                           | Jammu &Kashmir *             | 222,236                      | 22,988                                        | 23,241                              | 23,612                              | 253                                          | 371                                         |
| 12                           | Jharkhand                    | 79,716                       | 23,524                                        | 23,553                              | 23,611                              | 29                                           | 58                                          |
| 13                           | Karnataka                    | 191,791                      | 36,449                                        | 37,550                              | 38,575                              | 1,101                                        | 1,025                                       |
| 14                           | Kerala                       | 38,852                       | 19,278                                        | 20,321                              | 21,144                              | 1,043                                        | 823                                         |
| 15                           | Madhya Pradesh               | 308,252                      | 77,426                                        | 77,414                              | 77,482                              | -12                                          | 68                                          |
| 16                           | Maharashtra                  | 307,713                      | 50,699                                        | 50,682                              | 50,778                              | -17                                          | 96                                          |
| 17                           | Manipur                      | 22,327                       | 17,083                                        | 17,346                              | 16,847                              | 263                                          | -499                                        |
| 18                           | Meghalaya                    | 22,429                       | 17,262                                        | 17,146                              | 17,119                              | -116                                         | -27                                         |
| 19                           | Mizoram                      | 21,081                       | 18,717                                        | 18,186                              | 18,006                              | -531                                         | -180                                        |
| 20                           | Nagaland                     | 16,579                       | 12,939                                        | 12,489                              | 12,486                              | -450                                         | -3                                          |
| 21                           | Odisha                       | 155,707                      | 50,460                                        | 51,345                              | 51,619                              | 885                                          | 274                                         |
| 22                           | Punjab                       | 50,362                       | 1,771                                         | 1,837                               | 1,849                               | 66                                           | 12                                          |
| 23                           | Rajasthan                    | 342,239                      | 16,106                                        | 16,572                              | 16,630                              | 466                                          | 58                                          |
| 24                           | Sikkim                       | 7,096                        | 3,353                                         | 3,344                               | 3,342                               | -9                                           | -2                                          |
| 25                           | Tamil Nadu                   | 130,060                      | 26,208                                        | 26,281                              | 26,364                              | 73                                           | 83                                          |
| 26                           | Telangana                    | 112,077                      | 19,854                                        | 20,419                              | 20,582                              | 565                                          | 163                                         |
| 27                           | Tripura                      | 10,486                       | 7,890                                         | 7,726                               | 7,726                               | -164                                         | 0                                           |
| 28                           | Uttar Pradesh                | 240,928                      | 14,401                                        | 14,679                              | 14,806                              | 278                                          | 127                                         |
| 29                           | Uttarakhand                  | 53,483                       | 24,272                                        | 24,295                              | 24,303                              | 23                                           | 8                                           |
| 30                           | West Bengal                  | 88,752                       | 16,826                                        | 16,847                              | 16,902                              | 21                                           | 55                                          |
| 31                           | A&N Isands                   | 8,249                        | 6,751                                         | 6,742                               | 6,743                               | -9                                           | 1                                           |
| 32                           | Chandigarh                   | 114                          | 21.66                                         | 21.56                               | 22.03                               | -0.10                                        | 0.47                                        |
| 33                           | Dadra &Nagar Haveli          | 491                          | 206                                           | 207                                 | 207                                 | 1                                            | 0                                           |
| 34                           | Daman &Diu                   | 111                          | 19.61                                         | 20.49                               | 20.49                               | 0.88                                         | 0                                           |
| 35                           | Lakshadweep                  | 30                           | 27.06                                         | 27.10                               | 27.10                               | 0.04                                         | 0                                           |
| 36                           | Puducherry                   | 490                          | 56.95                                         | 53.67                               |                                     | -3.28                                        |                                             |
|                              | Grand Total                  | 3,287,469                    | 7,01,495                                      | 7,08,273                            | 52.41 7,12,249                      | 6,778                                        | -1.26 3,976                                 |

## Annexure II Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3444

## due for answer on 13.03.2020 regarding ' Conservation of Forest'

## State-UTs wise fund released by Ad-hoc CAMPA and National Authority during last three years

| Sl.   | State/UT                 | 2016-17           | 2017-18           | 2018-19           |
|-------|--------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| No.   |                          |                   |                   | Amount in Rupees  |
| 1     | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | -                 | 13,300,000.00     | 15,600,000.00     |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh           | 890,000,000.00    | 970,000,000.00    | 1,044,700,000.00  |
| 3     | Arunachal Pradesh        | 1,500,000,000.00  | -                 | 3,541,500,000.00  |
| 4     | Assam                    | 300,000,000.00    | 700,000,000.00    | 458,400,000.00    |
| 5     | Bihar                    | 330,000,000.00    | 303,100,000.00    | 466,190,000.00    |
| 6     | Chandigarh               | 10,000,000.00     | 11,300,000.00     | 12,700,000.00     |
| 7     | Chhattisgarh             | 2,800,000,000.00  | -                 | -                 |
| 8     | Dadra &Nagar Haveli      | -                 | -                 |                   |
| 9     | Daman &Diu               | -                 | -                 | -                 |
| 10    | Delhi                    | 40,000,000.00     | -                 | -                 |
| 11    | Goa                      | -                 | -                 | -                 |
| 12    | Gujarat                  | 990,000,000.00    | 270,000,000.00    | 2,126,600,000.00  |
| 13    | Haryana                  | 180,000,000.00    | 800,000,000.00    | 1,442,000,000.00  |
| 14    | Himachal Pradesh         | 1,506,200,000.00  | 1,200,000,000.00  | 1,325,200,000.00  |
| 15    | Jammu &Kashmir           | 1,020,000,000.00  | 690,000,000.00    |                   |
| 16    | Jharkhand                | 1,490,000,000.00  | 2,340,000,000.00  | 2,862,500,000.00  |
| 17    | Karnataka                | 851,200,000.00    | 860,000,000.00    | 1,014,000,000.00  |
| 18    | Kerala                   | -                 | 80,000,000.00     | 146,100,000.00    |
| 19    | Lakshdweep               | --                | -                 | -                 |
| 20    | Madhya Pradesh           | 1,400,000,000.00  | 2,000,000,000.00  | 2,687,600,000.00  |
| 21    | Maharashtra              | 2,050,000,000.00  | 1,990,000,000.00  | 2,250,000,000.00  |
| 22    | Manipur                  | 150,000,000.00    | 295,000,000.00    | 248,500,000.00    |
| 23    | Meghalaya                | -                 | 70,000,000.00     | -                 |
| 24    | Mizoram                  | 77,300,000.00     | 68,500,000.00     | 83,000,000.00     |
| 25    | Nagaland                 | -                 | -                 | -                 |
| 26    | Odisha                   | 4,260,000,000.00  | 5,090,000,000.00  | 5,540,000,000.00  |
| 27    | Pudducherry              | -                 | -                 | -                 |
| 28    | Punjab                   | 660,000,000.00    | 640,000,000.00    | 792,000,000.00    |
| 29    | Rajasthan                | 1,480,600,000.00  | 1,790,000,000.00  | 1,820,300,000.00  |
| 30    | Sikkim                   | 90,000,000.00     | -                 | -                 |
| 31    | Tamil Nadu               | 90,000,000.00     | 126,800,000.00    | 70,000,000.00     |
| 32    | Telangana                | 1,170,000,000.00  | 1,270,000,000.00  | 2,373,800,000.00  |
| 33    | Tripura                  | 120,000,000.00    | 71,000,000.00     | 167,000,000.00    |
| 34    | Uttar Pradesh            | 970,000,000.00    | 1,440,000,000.00  | 1,506,000,000.00  |
| 35    | Uttarakhand              | 1,707,100,000.00  | 960,000,000.00    | 3,030,000,000.00  |
| 36    | West Bengal              | 210,000,000.00    | -                 | 212,200,000.00    |
|       | Total                    | 26,342,400,000.00 | 24,049,000,000.00 | 35,235,890,000.00 |

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3444 due for answer on 13.03.2020 regarding ' Conservation of Forest'

## Details of State wise funds released under National Afforestation Programme

|        |                   |            | (Rupees in Crore)   | (Rupees in Crore)   |
|--------|-------------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| S. No. | State             | FY 2016-17 | FY 2017-18          | FY 2018-19          |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh    | 1.33       | 3.36                | 6.38                |
| 2      | Bihar             | 2.18       | 4.23                | 0.00                |
| 3      | Chhattisgarh      | 4.92       | 10.86               | 7.82                |
| 4      | Goa               | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 5      | Gujarat           | 4.36       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 6      | Haryana           | 3.50       | 2.71                | 0.00                |
| 7      | Himachal Pradesh  | 0.00       | 1.72                | 2.92                |
| 8      | Jammu &Kashmir    | 0.00       | 7.20                | 0.00                |
| 9      | Jharkhand         | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 10     | Karnataka         | 7.33       | 3.24                | 10.99               |
| 11     | Kerala            | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 12     | Madhya Pradesh    | 4.00       | 8.74                | 7.78                |
| 13     | Maharashtra       | 4.76       | 6.73                | 15.33               |
| 14     | Orissa            | 4.62       | 3.49                | 11.36               |
| 15     | Punjab            | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 16     | Rajasthan         | 0.00       | 1.40                | 1.95                |
| 17     | Tamil Nadu        | 1.56       | 0.00                | 2.07                |
| 18     | Telangana         | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 19     | Uttar Pradesh     | 2.55       | 0.67                | 0.32                |
| 20     | Uttarakhand       | 0.00       | 3.36                | 2.58                |
| 21     | West Bengal       | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.00                |
| 22     | Arunachal Pradesh | 0.00       | 0.86                | 0.00                |
| 23     | Assam             | 0.00       | 0.00                | 0.58                |
| 24     | Manipur           | 1.21       | 3.19                | 4.38                |
| 25     | Meghalaya         | 0.00       | 1.65                | 0.74                |
| 26     | Mizoram           | 6.74       | 5.80                | 7.79                |
| 27     | Nagaland          | 5.21       | 5.85                | 6.41                |
| 28     | Sikkim            | 5.09       | 0.00                | 5.98                |
| 29     | Tripura           | 0.00       | 4.94                | 0.00                |
|        | Total             | 59.35      | 80.00               | 95.38               |

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3444 due for answer on 13.03.2020 regarding ' Conservation of Forest'

## State-wise details of funds released under Green India Mission

(Rupees in Crore)

| Sl. No.   | State          | FY 2016-17   | FY 2017-18   | FY 2018-19   |
|-----------|----------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh | 0.01         | 0.45         | 2.67         |
| 2         | Chhattisgarh   | 20.23        | 10.95        | 5.36         |
| 3         | Karnataka      | 0.87         | 0.86         | 1.62         |
| 4         | Kerala         | -            | -            | -            |
| 5         | Manipur        | 7.82         | 6.42         | 4.89         |
| 6         | Mizoram        | 9.88         | 20.00        | 22.36        |
| 7         | Odisha         | 1.39         | 1.41         | 4.74         |
| 8         | Punjab         | -            | 6.22         | -            |
| 9         | Uttarakhand    | -            | -            | -            |
| 10        | Madhya Pradesh | -            | -            | 24.16        |
| 11        | Maharashtra    | -            | -            | 10.3         |
| 12        | Sikkim         | -            | -            | 3.32         |
| 13        | West Bengal    | -            |              |              |
| Total     | Total          | 40.21        | 46.3         | 79.43        |