Lok Sabha Question No. 3402 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Plantation of Saplings
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gautam Gambhir, Jagdambika Pal

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N

## NO.3402

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/07/2019

## Plantation of Saplings

## 3402.  SHRI GAUTAM GAMBHIR: SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

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

(a)  whether  saplings  planted  every  year  in  various  parts  of  the  country  including  Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are less than the target set by the Government;

- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether,  in  Delhi,  Government  departments/agencies  except  the  Forest  Department  are not able to achieve the plantation target, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether forest  cover  in  Delhi  and  Uttar  Pradesh  is  less  than  what  has  been  prescribed under the National Forest Policy;
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  corrective  measures  taken  by  the  Government  in  this direction; and

(f) whether the Government is monitoring the life and health of the saplings till they mature into a tree, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Afforestation / Tree plantation targets in the country under Item No.51 (a) (Area Covered  under  Public  and  Forest  Lands)  and  51  (b)  (No.  of  Seedlings  Planted)  of Twenty  Point  Programme  (TPP)  is  fixed  by  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  annually  in  consultation  with  States/UTs  including Government of NCT of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.  These Plantation targets are further allotted to different departments and Greening Agencies by the states including Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The progress of the same are collectively reported to this ministry and  to  the  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI)  which  is

compiling  achievements  collectively  under  TPP.  As  reported  by  MoSPI,  the  total achievements for number of seedlings planted are more than the targets fixed by the ministry  under  TPP.  The  achievement  on  number  of  seedlings  planted  under  TPP during the years (2015-16 to 2017-18) by the states in total and specific to Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are provided in annexure.

- (c) As informed by Govt. of NCT of Delhi, as against the target of plantations of 10.14 lakhs  seedlings,  the  forest  department  and  other  greening  agencies  have  carried  out plantations of 24.59 lakhs seedlings.
- (d) to  (e)The  National  Forest  Policy(NFP),  1988  envisages  a  target  of  one-third  of  total land area of the country under forest or tree cover for ensuring environmental stability. As per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), 2017 the total forest and tree cover of Delhi, is 20.59% of state's geographical area, which has shown a net increase of about 3.64 sq. km. as compared to the previous assessment in ISFR, 2015.Similarly the total forest and tree cover of Uttar Pradesh, as per ISFR, 2017 has been increased to 9.18% over  the  previous  assessment  of  8.93%  in  ISFR  2015,    a  net  increase  of  278  sq.km compared to previous assessment which can be attributed to plantation activities and conservation efforts.
- (f) Tree  plantation/  afforestation  being  the  multi-departmental  effort,  being  done  by various  departments,  Non-Government  Organizations,  civil  society,  corporate  bodies etc. The monitoring the health of the sapling planted is primarily the responsibility of respective State/Union Territory Governments. After plantations of seedlings maintenance  work  including  watering,  weeding  and  casualty  replacement  is  done  to ensure good health and survival of plants. Government of India supports themaintenance in respect of protection against fire etc.  and monitoring of the health of  the  saplings  planted  the  plantations  carried  out  through  Centrally  Sponsored Schemes (CSS) as per the guidelines of the particular scheme.Protection of trees done against forest fires, encroachments and other treats.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha UnStarred Question No. 3402 due  for  reply  on  12.07.2019    by  Shri  Gautam  Gambhir  and  Shri  Jagdambika  Pal  regarding 'Plantation of Saplings'

## Achievements of plantation of seedlings under TPP by Govt. of Delhi & Uttar

## Pradesh (as per MoSPI)

2018-19 Achievements not yet published by MoSPI

| Year           | No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   | No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   | No. of seedlings planted (in lakhs)   |
|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                | Target                                | Achievement                           | Percentage Achievement                |
| All States/UTs | All States/UTs                        | All States/UTs                        | All States/UTs                        |
| 2015-16        | 7583.32                               | 9738.43                               | 128%                                  |
| 2016-17        | 7082.15                               | 14042.88                              | 198%                                  |
| 2017-18        | 9460.49                               | 10731.01                              | 113%                                  |
| NCT of Delhi   | NCT of Delhi                          | NCT of Delhi                          | NCT of Delhi                          |
| 2015-16        | 5.53                                  | 9.74                                  | 176%                                  |
| 2016-17        | 5.51                                  | 8.45                                  | 153%                                  |
| 2017-18        | 8.26                                  | Not reported                          | Not reported                          |
| Uttar Pradesh  | Uttar Pradesh                         | Uttar Pradesh                         | Uttar Pradesh                         |
| 2015-16        | 310.25                                | 587.03                                | 189%                                  |
| 2016-17        | 376.40                                | 711.93                                | 189%                                  |
| 2017-18        | 654.58                                | 589.92                                | 90%                                   |

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