Lok Sabha Question No. 1668 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Tree Plantation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod, Rajendra Agrawal, Hasmukhbhai Somabhai Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO. 1668

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## Tree Plantation

## 1668.   SHRI RATANSINH MAGANSINH RATHOD: SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL: SHRI PATEL HASMUKHBHAI SOMABHAI:

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

- (a) whether the steps are being taken by the Government to promote trees plantation and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of funds allocated for trees plantation in the State of Gujarat during the last three years;
- (c) Whether the Government has any proposal to plant more trees to stop air pollution and if so, the details thereof?
- (d) the  details  of  Tree  Outside  Forest  Initiative  along  with  the  target  fixed  by  the Government for tree plantation as implemented in seven States, State-wise along with the details of funds allocated for the said initiative;
- (e) whether the Government intends to implement such initiative in other States as well; and
- (f) the other steps taken to prevent deforestation across the country in the future and the progress of the implementation of other afforestation schemes along with the funds release for the purpose during the last three years?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to  (f):  In  consonance  with  National  Forest  Policy  (NFP),  1988  which  envisages  the national goal to have a minimum of one- third of the total land area under forest or tree cover and two-third of the area under such cover in the hill and mountainous regions of the country, various afforestation related schemes implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  and  other  ministries  aim  at  promoting  tree plantations.  MoEF&CC  supports  the  States/Union  Territories  for  carrying  out  various afforestation/tree  plantation  activities  under  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  like  National Mission  for  a  Green  India  (GIM),Nagar  van  Yojana,  compensatory  afforestation  under Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and  Planning  Authority  (CAMPA)  etc. State/UTs  also  implement  various  schemes  promoting  tree  plantation  activities  under State/UT Plan, MGNREGA etc.

An  amount  of  Rs.19,740.93  Lakhs  has  been  allocated  by  Gujarat  for  promoting  tree plantation  activities  in  the  State  during  the  last  three  years.  Annual  afforestation  /tree plantation targets are fixed by the Ministry for all States/UTs which are achieved through the concerted efforts.

The Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) program has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India and the U.S. Agency for International  Development  (USAID) for implemention in seven states including Andhra Pradesh,  Assam,  Haryana,  Odisha,  Rajasthan,  Tamil  Nadu,  and  Uttar  Pradesh  with  an outlay of $ 25 million for a period of five years. The purpose of this program is to expand the  planting  of  trees  outside  of  forests  (TOF)  for  enhanced  provision  of  ecosystem services, especially carbon sequestration, and increased inclusive livelihoods and economic opportunities for the rural population. The program  also envisages innovative financing models to promote tree-based enterprises and the sale of carbon credits, helping to  create  sustainable  markets  and  improve  rural  economies  and  livelihoods,  with  the potential to benefit more than13 million people.

The  protection  of  forest  including  protection  against  illegal  felling  is  primarily  looked after  by  States/UTs  Forest Department through their frontline staff at beat, block,  range and  division  level  by  conducting  regular  patrolling,  surveillance  and  field  visits.  Local institutions  including  Joint  Forest  Management  Committees  assist  the  frontline  staffs  of the States/UTs forest department in protection, regeneration and afforestation.

Under different schemes like GIM, CAMPA, MGNREGA, State Plans, afforestation on forest and non forest area has been undertaken to increase forest cover. In case of GIM so far Rs. 690.39 Crores has been released to the States since 2015. In case of CAMPA, Rs. 51,768.76 Crores has been released to the States/UTs since 2019.

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