Lok Sabha Question No. 4287 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Policy on Common Property Resources
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ranjan Singh Rajkumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4287

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019

## Policy on Common Property Resources

## 4287. DR. RAJKUMAR RANJAN SINGH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  any  programmes  for  securing  common  property resources such as lakes, water bodies, pasture land, common forest land and urban forest;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  adopt  effective  national  policy  on  such  common property resources ; and
- (d)     if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d)  The primary concerns of the Ministry are implementation of policies and programmes relating  to  conservation  of  the  country's  natural  resources  including  its  lakes  and  rivers,  its biodiversity,  forests  and  wildlife,  ensuring  the  welfare  of  animals,  and  the  prevention  and abatement of pollution. While implementing these policies and programmes, these objectives are well  supported  by  a  set  of  legislative  and  regulatory  measures,  aimed  at  the  preservation, conservation and protection of the environment. Besides the legislative measures, the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development, 1992 ; National Forest  Policy,  1988 ;  Policy  Statement  on  Abatement  of  Pollution,  1992 ;  and  the National Environment Policy, 2006 also guide the Ministry's work.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  is  implementing various  programmes  for  securing  common  property  resources  such  as  lakes,  water  bodies, pasture  land,  common  forest  land  and  urban  forest  like  implementing  a  centrally  sponsored scheme namely, National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA)  for conservation and management of wetlands including lakes in the country on cost sharing basis between  Central  Government  and  respective  State  Governments.  The  scheme  aims  at  holistic conservation and restoration of wetlands including lakes for achieving the desired water quality enhancement,  besides  improvement  in  biodiversity  and  ecosystem  through  an  integrated  and multidisciplinary approach and a common regulatory framework.

Ministry  has  also  been  implementing  a  scheme  for  ecological  restoration  of  degraded forest and adjoining land through afforestation, National Afforestation Programme (NAP) which is  being  implemented  with  participatory  approach  by  National  Afforestation  and  Eco  Development  Board  (NAEB).  The  programme  has  seven  afforestation  components  including Pasture Development/Silvi Pasture model. Also, National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It aims at protecting,  restoring and enhancing India's forest cover and responding to Climate Change by means of plantation activities in forest and non-forest areas.

Further,  the  renovation  of  traditional  and  other  water  bodies  /tanks  is  one  of  the intervention areas of Jal Shakti Abhiyan. The objectives of Jal Shakti Abhiyan inter alia aim at increased surface and ground water availability, sustainability of drinking water sources increase soil moisture etc. Inventorisation, restoration  and rejuvenation efforts for water bodies that have existed since more than ten years and which have been served community for drinking water and other purposes has been undertaken

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