Lok Sabha Question No. 1100 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-08
Subject: Forest Cover
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KAMLA DEVI PATLE

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  1100

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2019

## Forest Cover

## 1100.    SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

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

- (a) the forest cover in hectares in the country, State-wise along with their percentage;
- (b) the national coverage of forest area in terms of hectares and percentage;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to make any new effort for the expansion of forest area in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  funds  provided  by  the  Government  for  conservation,  development  and promotion of forests in the States including Chhattisgarh during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) the success achieved as a result thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) & (b)   Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, a subordinate organization under the Ministry   carries out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). As per the latest report i.e. ISFR- 2017, the total forest and tree cover in the country is 8, 02, 088, 00 hectares (forest cover 70827300 hectares, tree cover 9381500 hectares) which is 24.39% of the geographical area of the country.  There is an increase of 802100 hectares (forest cover 677800 hectares, tree cover 124300 hectares) of total forest and tree cover compared to that of ISFR-2015.  The State/UTs wise details of forest cover along with percentage as per ISFR-2017 is given in Annexure-I.
- (c) to (d) For expansion of forest cover in the country, afforestation programmes are being taken up under  various  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  such  as  National  Afforestation  Programme (NAP) and  Green  India  Mission  (GIM)  being  implemented  by  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest  and  Climate  Change.  Afforestation  activities  are  also  taken  up  under  various programmes/funding  sources  such  as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Compensatory Afforestation Fund. 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. GIM activities were started in the Financial Year 2015-16.

National  Afforestation  Programme  (NAP) of the Ministry  of Environment  &  Forests  is  a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests and adjoining areas through people's participation.  The State/UTs-wise details of funds released under Compensatory Afforestation Funds, Green India Mission and National Afforestation Programme for the last three years and current year are given in Annexure-II, III and IV respectively.

- (e)   As a result of various afforestation programme by Central and State Government, the forest and  tree  cover  in  the  country  has  been  increased  by  802100  hectares  as  per  ISFR-2017 compared to that of ISFR-2015.

****

## Annexure I

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1100 due for answer on 08.02.2019 regarding 'Forest Cover'

State/UTs wise details of Forest Cover as per ISFR 2017

(area in hectare)

| State               | Geographic Area   | Total Forest cover as per ISFR-2017   |   Percent of Geographic area |
|---------------------|-------------------|---------------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh      | 16296800          | 28,14,700                             |                        17.27 |
| Arunachal Pradesh   | 8374300           | 66,96,400                             |                        79.96 |
| Assam               | 7843800           | 28,10,500                             |                        35.83 |
| Bihar               | 9416300           | 7,29,900                              |                         7.75 |
| Chhattisgarh        | 13519200          | 55,54,700                             |                        41.09 |
| Delhi               | 148300            | 19,241                                |                        12.97 |
| Goa                 | 370200            | 2,22,900                              |                        60.21 |
| Gujarat             | 19624400          | 14,75,700                             |                         7.52 |
| Haryana             | 4421200           | 1,58,800                              |                         3.59 |
| Himachal Pradesh    | 5567300           | 15,10,000                             |                        27.12 |
| Jammu &Kashmir *    | 22223600          | 23,24,100                             |                        10.46 |
| Jharkhand           | 7971600           | 23,55,300                             |                        29.55 |
| Karnataka           | 19179100          | 37,55,000                             |                        19.58 |
| Kerala              | 3885200           | 20,32,100                             |                        52.3  |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 30825200          | 77,41,400                             |                        25.11 |
| Maharashtra         | 30771300          | 50,68,200                             |                        16.47 |
| Manipur             | 2232700           | 17,34,600                             |                        77.69 |
| Meghalaya           | 2242900           | 17,14,600                             |                        76.45 |
| Mizoram             | 2108100           | 18,18,600                             |                        86.27 |
| Nagaland            | 1657900           | 12,48,900                             |                        75.33 |
| Odisha              | 15570700          | 51,34,500                             |                        32.98 |
| Punjab              | 5036200           | 1,83,700                              |                         3.65 |
| Rajasthan           | 34223900          | 16,57,200                             |                         4.84 |
| Sikkim              | 709600            | 3,34,400                              |                        47.13 |
| Tamil Nadu          | 13006000          | 26,28,100                             |                        20.21 |
| Telangana           | 11207700          | 20,41,900                             |                        18.22 |
| Tripura             | 1048600           | 7,72,600                              |                        73.68 |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 24092800          | 14,67,900                             |                         6.09 |
| Uttarakhand         | 5348300           | 24,29,500                             |                        45.43 |
| West Bengal         | 8875200           | 16,84,700                             |                        18.98 |
| A&N Islands         | 824900            | 6,74,200                              |                        81.73 |
| Chandigarh          | 11400             | 2156                                  |                        18.91 |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 49100             | 20,700                                |                        42.16 |
| Daman& Diu          | 11100             | 2049                                  |                        18.46 |
| Lakshadweep         | 3000              | 2710                                  |                        90.33 |
| Puducherry          | 49000             | 5367                                  |                        10.95 |
| Grand Total         | 32,87,46,900      | 7,08,27,300                           |                        21.54 |

## Annexure II

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1100 due for answer on 08.02.2019 regarding 'Forest Cover'

## Details of State/UTs wise funds released under Compensatory Afforestation Funds

| State/UT            | FY-15-16       | FY-16-17       | FY-17-18       | FY-18-19         |
|---------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
| State/UT            | Release (Rs.)  | Release (Rs.)  | Release (Rs.)  | Release (Rs.)    |
| Andhra Pradesh      | 850,000,000    | 890,000,000    | 970,000,000    | 1,044,700,000.00 |
| Andaman Nicobar     | 10,000,000     |                |                |                  |
| Arunachal Pradesh   | 620,000,000    | 1,500,000,000  |                | 3,541,500,000    |
| Assam               |                | 300,000,000    | 700,000,000    | 458,400,000      |
| Bihar               | 341,400,000    | 330,000,000    | 393,100,000    | 376,190,000      |
| Chandigarh          | 21,179,000     | 10,000,000     | 11,300,000     | 12,700,000       |
| Chhattisgarh        | 2,390,000,000  | 2,800,000,000  |                |                  |
| Dadar Nagar Havelli |                |                |                |                  |
| Daman& Diu          |                |                |                |                  |
| Delhi               | 39,100,000     | 40,000,000     |                |                  |
| Goa                 |                |                |                |                  |
| Gujarat             | 330,000,000    | 990,000,000    | 270,000,000    | 2,726,600,000    |
| Haryana             | 640,000,000    | 180,000,000    | 800,000,000    | 1,442,000,000    |
| Himachal Pradesh    | 769,800,000    | 1,320,000,000  | 1,200,000,000  | 1,325,200,000    |
| Jammu Kashmir       | 310,000,000    | 1,020,000,000  | 690,000,000    |                  |
| Jharkhand           | 1,410,000,000  | 1,490,000,000  | 2,340,000,000  | 2,862,500,000    |
| Karnataka           | 600,000,000    | 875,200,000    | 860,000,000    | 1,014,000,000    |
| Kerala              |                |                | 80,000,000     | 146,100,000      |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 2,130,000,000  | 1,400,000,000  | 2,000,000,000  | 2,687,600,000    |
| Maharashtra         | 1,550,000,000  | 2,050,000,000  | 1,990,000,000  | 2,250,000,000    |
| Manipur             | 250,000,000    | 150,000,000    | 295,000,000    | 248,500,000      |
| Meghalaya           | 165,600,000    |                | 70,000,000     |                  |
| Mizoram             | 100,000,000    | 77,300,000     | 68,500,000     |                  |
| Orissa              | 3,220,000,000  | 4,260,000,000  | 14,940,400,000 | 5,540,000,000    |
| Punjab              | 490,000,000    | 660,000,000    | 640,000,000    | 792,000,000      |
| Rajasthan           | 480,000,000    | 1,410,600,000  | 1,790,000,000  | 1,692,400,000    |
| Sikkim              | 110,000,000    | 90,000,000     |                |                  |
| Tamilnadu           | 22,000,000     | 90,000,000     | 126,800,000    |                  |
| Telengna            | 760,000,000    | 1,182,180,000  | 1,270,000,000  | 2,373,800,000    |
| Tripura             | 110,000,000    | 120,000,000    | 7,100,000      | 2,309,000,000    |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 1,770,000,000  | 1,320,000,000  | 1,230,000,000  | 1,506,000,000    |
| Uttrakhand          | 1,640,000,000  | 1,707,100,000  | 960,000,000    | 3,030,000,000    |
| West Bengal         |                | 210,000,000    |                | 212,200,000      |
| Total               | 21,129,079,000 | 26,472,380,000 | 33,702,200,000 | 37,591,390,000   |

## Annexure III

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1100 due for answer on 08.02.2019 regarding 'Forest Cover'

## Details of State wise funds released under Green India Mission.

(Rs. in Lakh)

| Sl. No.   | States         | 2015-16       | 2015-16       | 2016-17       | 2016-17       | 2017-18       | 2017-18       | 2018-19       | 2018-19       |
|-----------|----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| Sl. No.   | States         | Fund Released | Fund Utilized | Fund Released | Fund Utilized | Fund Released | Fund Utilized | Fund Released | Fund Utilized |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh | -             | -             | 105.53        | 105.53        | 44.6          | -             | 266.62        | -             |
| 2         | Chhattisgarh   | 2338.55       | 2338.55       | 2023.017      | 2023.017      | 1095.272      | 1095.27       | 536.07        | -             |
| 3         | Karnataka      | 105.53        | 105.53        | 86.853        | 86.853        | 85.734        | 66.99         | 162.339       | -             |
| 4         | Kerala*        | 914.82        | -             | -             | 383.118       | -             | 531.702       | -             | -             |
| 5         | Manipur        | 834.84        | 834.84        | 782.285       | 782.285       | 641.579       | 641.579       | 488.812       | -             |
| 6         | Mizoram        | -             | -             | 988.35        | 988.35        | 2000          | 2000          | -             | -             |
| 7         | Odisha         | 182.92        | 182.92        | 138.964       | 138.964       | 140.556       | 140.556       | 474.334       |               |
| 8         | Punjab*        | 611.53        | -             | -             | 606.11        | 621.73        | -             | -             | -             |
| 9         | Uttarakhand**  | 2020.9        | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             |
| 10        | Sikkim         | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | 332.36        | -             |
| 11        | Maharashtra    | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | 1030.188      | -             |
| 12        | Madhya Pradesh | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | -             | 1022.497      | -             |
|           | Total          | 7009.09       | 3461.84       | 4125          | 5114.227      | 4629.47       | 4476.1        | 4313.22       | -             |

Note: *Fund were revalidated for utilization in FY 2016-17.

** Fund were revalidated for utilization in FY 2016-17 and FY 2018-19

## Annexure IV

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1100 due for answer on 08.02.2019 regarding 'Forest Cover'

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

|        |                                           | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | (Rs in Crore)   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
| S. No. | State                                     |           |           |           |           | TOTAL           |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh                            | 0.87      | 1.33      | 3.36      | 4.81      | 5.56            |
| 2      | Bihar                                     | 5.01      | 2.18      | 4.23      | 0.00      | 11.42           |
| 3      | Chhattisgarh                              | 10.20     | 4.92      | 10.86     | 2.64      | 25.98           |
| 4      | Goa                                       | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00            |
| 5      | Gujarat                                   | 8.54      | 4.36      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 12.90           |
| 6      | Haryana                                   | 0.72      | 3.50      | 2.71      | 0.00      | 6.93            |
| 7      | Himachal Pradesh                          | 0.00      |           | 1.72      | 2.92      | 4.64            |
| 8      | Jammu & Kashmir                           | 0.00      |           | 7.20      | 0.00      | 7.20            |
| 9      | Jharkhand                                 | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00            |
| 10     | Karnataka                                 | 1.05      | 7.33      | 3.24      | 6.87      | 11.61           |
| 11     | Kerala                                    | 1.02      |           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 1.02            |
| 12     | Madhya Pradesh                            | 9.45      | 4.00      | 8.74      | 7.78      | 22.19           |
| 13     | Maharashtra                               | 14.90     | 4.76      | 6.73      | 15.33     | 26.39           |
| 14     | Orissa                                    | 9.49      | 4.62      | 3.49      | 8.15      | 17.60           |
| 15     | Punjab                                    | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00            |
| 16     | Rajasthan                                 | 0.75      |           | 1.40      | 0.00      | 2.15            |
| 17     | Tamil Nadu                                | 1.42      | 1.56      | 0.00      | 2.07      | 2.98            |
| 18     | Telangana                                 | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00            |
| 19     | Uttar Pradesh                             | 2.68      | 2.55      | 0.67      | 0.32      | 5.89            |
| 20     | Uttarakhand                               | 3.05      |           | 3.36      | 2.58      | 6.41            |
| 21     | West Bengal                               | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00            |
|        | Total (Other States) North Eastern states | 69.16     | 41.10     | 57.71     | 53.47     | 221.44 0.00     |
| 22     | Arunachal Pradesh                         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.86      | 0.00      | 0.86            |
| 23     | Assam                                     | 2.56      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 2.56            |
| 24     | Manipur                                   | 3.67      | 1.21      | 3.19      | 4.38      | 12.45           |
| 25     | Meghalaya                                 | 1.35      | 0.00      | 1.65      | 0.74      | 3.74            |
| 26     | Mizoram                                   | 10.17     | 6.74      | 5.80      | 5.90      | 28.61           |
| 27     | Nagaland                                  | 0.00      | 5.21      | 5.85      | 6.41      | 17.47           |
| 28     | Sikkim                                    | 1.52      | 5.09      | 0.00      | 5.98      | 12.59           |
| 29     | Tripura                                   | 5.73      | 0.00      | 4.94      | 0.00      | 10.67           |
|        | Total (NE States)                         | 25.00     | 18.25     | 22.29     | 23.41     | 88.95           |
|        | G. Total                                  | 94.16     | 59.35     | 80.00     | 76.88     | 387.27          |