Lok Sabha Question No. 4428 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Forest Conservation Act, 1980
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal, Sushil Kumar Singh, Pinaki Misra

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4428

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2020

## Forest Conservation Act, 1980

## 4428.  SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL: SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

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

- (a) the number of State-wise projects for which forest lands were diverted since 2008 under Forest Conservation Act for which land was obtained from the Revenue and Forest  Department for the purpose of compensatory afforestation, State-wise and year-wise area of land under each category;
- (b) the  area  in  hectares,  where  compensatory  afforestation  has  been  undertaken  by Government since 2008;
- (c) whether there is any mechanism set up by the Ministry to ensure compliance of Forest Rights Act (FRA) in implementation of CAF projects as there are reports of large-scale violation of land and forest rights of tribals and forest dwellers;
- (d) whether the Ministry has worked out mechanism to transfer CA funds directly to the Gram Sabhas, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Ministry has taken steps to address concerns about lack of sustainability of artificial plantations as compared with natural forests?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  launched  an  online portal  namely  'PARIVESH' for submission and processing of online proposals for  approval  of  use  of  forest  land  for  non-forestry  purposes  under  Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. As per the information available in the portal a total of 3616 projects involving 69414.32 hectares of forest land have been approved for non-forest use under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in the last five years. The State/UT-wise  details  are annexed .  During  the  same  period  Compensatory Afforestation  (CA)  has  been  stipulated  over  more  than  126000  hectares.The State/UT-wise and year-wise details of CA stipulated over forest land and nonforest land in the last five years are annexed.
- (c) & (d) Complete  compliance  under  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest Dwellers  (Recognition  of  Forest  Rights)  Act,  2006  is  ensured  prior  to  any approval for use of forest area for non-forestry purpose under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 is obtained. However, for taking up forestry activities such as afforestation (including those under Compensatory Afforestation Fund), compliance under FRA is not required.

As  per  the  provisions  under  the  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Act,  2016 (CAF  Act)  and  in  pursuance  of  an  order  of  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  on 28 th January  2019,  an  amount  of Rs47,872.31  crore has  been  disbursed  to  the State  Funds  of  30  States/UTs  till  date.  As  per  the  provisions  of  the  CAF  Act, 2016 and with the constitution of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA), all the activities related with  forestry  and  wildlife  management  of  each  State/UT  are  proposed  through Annual  Plan  of Operations (APOs)  which  is  approved  by  the Executive Committee  of  the  National  CAMPA  for  utilisation  of  the  CAMPA  Funds. However,  the  CAF  Act,  2016  does  not  provide  mechanism  for  transfer  of Compensatory Afforestation Funds directly to the Gram Sabhas.

- (e) As per norms maximum efforts to make plantation taken up in the forest areas to become viable and contribute enhance the quality of forests. In addition, to ensure effectiveness and sustainability of plantations, following activities are also taken:
- i. Site specific interventions including mixed  plantation of locally suitable species with provision for long term maintenance.
- ii. Soil and moisture conservation works to enhance the water regime of the area carried out in the areas where afforestation is taken up.
- iii. Notification of the non-forest land where Compensatory Afforestationis  taken  up,  are  notified  as  Reserved  Forest/Protected Forest under Indian Forest Act, 1927 or concerned State Forest Acts, to enable the State/UT Forest Departments to bring the plantation area under appropriate scientific forest management.

***

Annexure

| Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   | Statement showing land treated under Compensatory Afforestation under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in last Five years   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                     | STATE/UTs                                                                                                                  | Total No. of Projects accorded Final Approval (2014 to 2019)                                                               | 2014-2015                                                                                                                  | 2014-2015                                                                                                                  | 2015-2016                                                                                                                  | 2015-2016                                                                                                                  | 2016-2017                                                                                                                  | 2016-2017                                                                                                                  | 2017-2018                                                                                                                  | 2017-2018                                                                                                                  | 2018-2019                                                                                                                  | 2018-2019                                                                                                                  | Grand Total                                                                                                                | Grand Total                                                                                                                |
| S. No.                                                                                                                     | STATE/UTs                                                                                                                  | Total No. of Projects accorded Final Approval (2014 to 2019)                                                               | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 | Compensatory Afforestation                                                                                                 |
| S. No.                                                                                                                     | STATE/UTs                                                                                                                  | Total No. of Projects accorded Final Approval (2014 to 2019)                                                               | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      | *NFL                                                                                                                       | **DFL                                                                                                                      |
| 1                                                                                                                          | Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                        | 6                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 2.77                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        | 2.77                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        |
| 2                                                                                                                          | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                             | 42                                                                                                                         | 377.39                                                                                                                     | 17.50                                                                                                                      | 1739.30                                                                                                                    | 23.75                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 56.82                                                                                                                      | 2385.06                                                                                                                    | 392.29                                                                                                                     | 5.98                                                                                                                       | 2565.79                                                                                                                    | 2432.29                                                                                                                    |
| 3                                                                                                                          | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                          | 21                                                                                                                         | NEP                                                                                                                        | 739.53                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 125.64                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 549.07                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 976.36                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 155.00                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 2545.60                                                                                                                    |
| 4                                                                                                                          | Assam                                                                                                                      | 1                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | 4.00                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        | 50.32                                                                                                                      | 8.00                                                                                                                       | 90.42                                                                                                                      | 1.00                                                                                                                       | 180.00                                                                                                                     | 6.00                                                                                                                       | 50.00                                                                                                                      | 15.00                                                                                                                      | 374.74                                                                                                                     |
| 5                                                                                                                          | Bihar                                                                                                                      | 153                                                                                                                        | 60.41                                                                                                                      | 174.03                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 71.66                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | 313.72                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 846.79                                                                                                                     | 4.70                                                                                                                       | 637.60                                                                                                                     | 65.11                                                                                                                      | 2043.80                                                                                                                    |
| 6                                                                                                                          | Chandigarh                                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | 6.20                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 6.20                                                                                                                       |
| 7                                                                                                                          | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                               | 45                                                                                                                         | 335.81                                                                                                                     | 1198.65                                                                                                                    | 72.95                                                                                                                      | 4983.29                                                                                                                    | 96.48                                                                                                                      | 1487.25                                                                                                                    | 126.70                                                                                                                     | 1061.17                                                                                                                    | 51.36                                                                                                                      | 2902.86                                                                                                                    | 683.30                                                                                                                     | 11633.21                                                                                                                   |
| 8 Dadra                                                                                                                    | &Nagar Haveli                                                                                                              | 10                                                                                                                         | NEP                                                                                                                        | 14.79                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 1.00                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 15.79                                                                                                                      |
| 9                                                                                                                          | Daman and Diu                                                                                                              | 0                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        |
| 10                                                                                                                         | Delhi                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                          | 19.90                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 34.22                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | 54.12                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        |
| 11                                                                                                                         | Goa                                                                                                                        | 9                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 40.09                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 40.09                                                                                                                      | NEP                                                                                                                        |
| 12                                                                                                                         | Gujarat                                                                                                                    | 143                                                                                                                        | 248.15                                                                                                                     | 691.89                                                                                                                     | 120.82                                                                                                                     | 737.57                                                                                                                     | 2.16                                                                                                                       | 604.73                                                                                                                     | 12.75                                                                                                                      | 271.97                                                                                                                     | 1064.93                                                                                                                    | 244.96                                                                                                                     | 1448.81                                                                                                                    | 2551.12                                                                                                                    |
| 13                                                                                                                         | Haryana                                                                                                                    | 1131                                                                                                                       | NEP                                                                                                                        | 184.59                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 924.64                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 480.43                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 676.97                                                                                                                     | 7.90                                                                                                                       | 1026.15                                                                                                                    | 7.90                                                                                                                       | 3292.78                                                                                                                    |
| 14                                                                                                                         | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                           | 148                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | 719.10                                                                                                                     | 60.29                                                                                                                      | 630.49                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 253.86                                                                                                                     | NEP                                                                                                                        | 709.92                                                                                                                     | 41.47                                                                                                                      | 1470.92                                                                                                                    | 101.76                                                                                                                     | 3784.29                                                                                                                    |
| 15                                                                                                                         | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                          | 0                                                                                                                          | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        | NEP                                                                                                                        |

| 16          | Jharkhand      | 41          | NEP             | 48.00    | 4.53    | 508.22   | 3.67         | 128.93      | 298.53    | 105.41   | 143.07 2277.54   | 449.80   | 3068.11   |
|-------------|----------------|-------------|-----------------|----------|---------|----------|--------------|-------------|-----------|----------|------------------|----------|-----------|
| 17          | Karnataka      | 67 16.40    | 118.012         | 232.44   |         | 24.04    | 95.20 337.51 | 261.77      | 77.98     | 106.48   | 2.27             | 712.28   | 559.81    |
| 18          | Kerala         | 8 4.93      | NEP             | 1.96     | 18.00   |          | NEP 8.80     | NEP         | NEP       | 0.50     | NEP              | 7.39     | 26.80     |
| 19          | Lakshadweep    | 0 NEP       | NEP             | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP          | NEP         | NEP       | NEP      | NEP              | NEP      | NEP       |
| 20          | Madhya Pradesh | 314 1073.86 | 2093.90         | 1224.71  | 779.89  | 584.68   | 256.89       | 419.24      | 1658.71   | 1559.30  | 9859.65          | 4861.78  | 14649.03  |
| 21          | Maharashtra    | 44 472.16   | 1596.65         | 799.65   | 890.03  | 1245.09  | 386.68       | 817.15      | 551.89    | 571.30   | 1690.16          | 3905.37  | 5115.42   |
| 22          | Manipur        | 9 NEP       | 625.40          | NEP      | 150.10  | NEP      | 380.49       | NEP         | 2266.25   | NEP      | NEP              | NEP      | 3422.24   |
| 23          | Meghalaya      | 2 138.11    | NEP             | NEP      | 12.36   | 4.82     | 8.50         | NEP         | NEP       | NEP      | 9.74             | 142.93   | 30.60     |
| 24          | Mizoram        | 2           | NEP 169.76      | NEP      |         | NEP      | NEP          | 3.85        | NEP 18.78 | 17.50    | NEP              | 17.50    | 192.39    |
| 25          | Nagaland       | 0           | NEP 0.00        |          | NEP     | NEP NEP  | NEP          | NEP         | NEP       | NEP      | NEP              | NEP      | NEP       |
| 26          | Odisha         | 87          | 2436.70 3726.92 | 424.96   | 658.00  | 78.65    | 433.06       | 1183.23     | 1589.88   | 2300.32  | 5540.12          | 6423.86  | 11947.98  |
| 27          | Pondicherry    | 0           | NEP NEP         | NEP      | NEP     | NEP      | NEP          | NEP         | NEP       | NEP      | NEP              | NEP      | NEP       |
| 28          | Punjab         | 845         | NEP 553.65      | NEP      | 357.64  | NEP      | 149.56       | 46.54       | 1424.42   | 4.93     | 1272.91          | 51.47    | 3758.18   |
| 29          | Rajasthan      | 97 228.76   | 2801.00         | NEP      | 1973.99 | 2172.01  | 16.57        | NEP         | 334.32    | 266.40   | 252.99           | 2667.17  | 5378.88   |
| 30          | Sikkim         | 11 6.06     | NEP             | NEP      | 108.22  | NEP      | 45.55        | NEP         | 117.71    | NEP      | 51.64            | 6.06     | 323.12    |
| 31 Tamil    | Nadu           | 17 43.92    | 27.10           | NEP      | 64.38   | NEP      | 19.84        | NEP         | NEP       | 13.86    | 20.00            | 57.78    | 131.32    |
| 32          | Telangana      | 33          | 161.38 NEP      | 1941.76  | 3.34    | 106.00   | 10.06        | 3951.57     | 2055.00   | 1978.32  | 1919.08          | 8139.02  | 3987.48   |
| 33          | Tripura        | 13          | 23.07 3.23      | NEP      | 469.53  | NEP      | 28.22        | NEP         | 84.01     | 1.00     | 15.36            | 24.07    | 600.35    |
| 34          | Uttar Pradesh  | 8           | 67.30 998.37    | NEP      | 690.28  | NEP      |              | 340.10      | NEP 76.33 | 167.18   | 922.64           | 234.48   | 3027.73   |
| 35          | Uttarakhand    | 293         | 365.06 278.75   | 827.07   |         | 2760.06  | 273.08       | NEP 2273.95 | NEP       | 768.53   | 606.66           | 4507.69  | 3645.46   |
| 36          | West Bengal    | 13          | 1.56 NEP        | NEP      | NEP     |          | 47.49 249.74 | NEP         | 38.20     | NEP      | 56.06            | 49.06    | 344.00    |
| Grand Total | Grand Total    | 3616        | 6080.94         | 16791.02 | 7450.45 | 17015.43 | 4717.32      | 6583.82     | 9489.33   | 17509.14 | 9504.32 30990.29 | 37242.36 | 88889.71  |

*NFL-Non Forest land **DFL - Degraded Forest land NEP - No eligible Proposal under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was approved.