Lok Sabha Question No. 4366 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: National Forest Policy
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Rajdeep Roy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4366

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019

## National Forest Policy

## 4366.  Dr. RAJDEEP ROY:

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

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  National  Forest  Policy  mandates  that  33  per  cent  of  the geographical area of the country should be under forest;
- (b) whether there is any other policy to safeguard the forest reserves in the country, if   so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that under the Forest Rights Act 2005, Forest Right pattas were given inside forest areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the country is a signatory to COP and strives to control climate change;  and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)&(b) The National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages that a minimum of one-third of the total land  area  of  the  country  should  be  under  forest  or  tree  cover.  In  the  hills  and  in mountainous region, the aim  should  be to  maintain  two-third  of  the  area  under  such cover in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and to ensure the stability of the fragile  eco-system.  Besides  National  Forest  Policy,  1988,  there  are  other  Acts  and Rules  such  as  the  Indian  Forest  Act,  1927;  the  Forest  (Conservation)  Act,  1980;  the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Biological Diversity Act, 2002; and State Forest Acts and  Rules  made  thereunder  by  State/UT  Governments  which  govern  the  protection, conservation and management of forests in the country.
- (c) There  is  no  Forest  Rights  Act,  2005.  However,  Government  of  India  enacted  'the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006' which is commonly known as 'Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006'. Under the Act, rights of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers are recognized and vested in forest  land  who  have  been  residing  in  such  forests  for  generations  but  whose  rights could not be recorded.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal Ministry for implementation of FRA, 2006. As per  information  received  from  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs,  a  total  number  of 19,64,048  titles  (18,87,894  individual  and  76,154  community  claims)  have  been distributed  till  May,  2019  over  an  area  involving  forest  lands  to  the  extent  of 1,29,38,762.14 acres.

- (d) &(e)  Climate change is a global challenge and requires action from all Countries based on the principles of equity and Common  But  Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). India is Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. India  is  meeting  all  its  commitments  and  obligations  under  these  instruments,  and independent studies have rated India's efforts highly.