Lok Sabha Question No. 5084 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Protection of Trees
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Chander Kaushik

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5084 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.04.2023

## Protection of Trees

## 5084.   SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

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

- (a) whether any  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  for  protection  of  trees  planted across the country during the last five years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of funds spent during the said period for the said purpose; State/year-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  State  Governments  have  been  directed  to remove encroachments from the forest lands summarily, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the area of forest land encroached upon so far; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  families  evicted  from  the  forest  lands  during  the  last  five  years, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)Protection  and  management of forests is primarily the responsibility of concerned State/UT Governments. Further, Tree Plantation/ Afforestation, being multi departmental activity, are also taken  upcross-  sectorally  by  various  Departments,  NGOs,  Civil  Society,  Corporate  bodies  etc. under  various  Central  and  State  Plan/Non  Plan  Schemes.  After  plantations  of  seedlings, maintenance work including watering/irrigating, weeding and casualty replacement is done by the implementing agency, to ensure good health and survival of plants and the expenditure for the  same  is  met  from  various  schemes  like  Green  India  Mission,  National  Afforestation Programme  (NAP),  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and  Planning  Authority (CAMPA),  and  under  various  schemes  of  line  ministries  namely  Mahatma  Gandhi  National Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Schemes,  National  Bamboo  Mission,  National  Agro-forestry Policy and Sub-mission on Agro-forestry (SMAF) etc. and also under various plan schemes of the States/ UTs. The multi departmental efforts have  yielded good results in conserving forest and  environment  by  addressing  the  problem  of  deforestation,  besides  keeping  the  pace  of development,  which  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  forest  cover  in  the  country  has  been constantly increasing over the years .

Further, the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry has been carrying out the assessment of forest cover of the country, biennially since 1987, and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). As per latest ISFR 2021, the total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometre which is 21.71% of the geographical areaof the country. The trend for the last three ISFRs shows an increase in Forest cover of the country. The forest  cover  has  increased  by  3,976  square  kilometre  between  ISFR  2017  and  ISFR  2019 assessment while there is an increase of 1,540 square kilometre between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021  assessment.  The  State/year-wise  details  of  change  in  Forest  Cover  between  ISFR  2017, ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021 are given in Annexure-I .

(b)  The  details  of  fund  released  to  all  States/UTs  under  Green  India  Mission  during  last  five years is given in Annexure-II. The details of fund released to to all States/UTs under National Afforestation Programme during last five  years  is  given in Annexure-III. The details  of fund transferred to all States/UTs under CAMPA fund during last five years is given in Annexure-IV

(c)  and  (d)  Protection  and  management  of  forests  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  concerned State/UT  Governments  which  take  appropriate  actions  to  remove  encroachment  under  the provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980and  rules  made  there  under,  and  also  under  State  Specific  Acts  and  Rules.  As  per  the information received from States/UT Governments, the State/UT-wise details of the forest land under encroachment in the country are given in Annexure-V .

(e)    The  details  of  the  families  evicted  from  the  forest  lands  are  not  collatedat  the  Central Government level.

*****

## Annexure-I

## Annexure referred to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5084due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Protection of Trees.

State/UTs wise details of change in Forest Cover from ISFR 2017 to ISFR 2021

(Area in Square Kilometre)

7

1

9

2

1

0

|                       |                   | Forest Cover   | Forest Cover   | Forest Cover   | Change in Forest                                                 | in Forest                 |
|-----------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| States/UTs            | Geographical area | ISFR 2017 (a)  | ISFR 2019 (b)  | ISFR 2021 (c)  | Cover between ISFR 2017 & ISFR 2019 (b-a) Change Cover ISFR ISFR | between 2019 & 2021 (c-b) |
| Andhra Pradesh        | 1,62,968          | 28,147         | 29,137         | 29,784         | 990                                                              | 647                       |
| Arunachal Pradesh     | 83,743            | 66,964         | 66,688         | 66,431         | -276                                                             | -257                      |
| Assam                 | 78,438            | 28,105         | 28,327         | 28,312         | 222                                                              | -15                       |
| Bihar                 | 94,163            | 7,299          | 7,306          | 7,381          | 7                                                                | 75                        |
| Chhattisgarh          | 1,35,192          | 55,547         | 55,611         | 55,717         | 64                                                               | 106                       |
| Delhi                 | 1,483             | 192.41         | 195.44         | 195            | 3.03                                                             | -0.44                     |
| Goa                   | 3,702             | 2,229          | 2,237          | 2,244          | 8                                                                | 7                         |
| Gujarat               | 1,96,244          | 14,757         | 14,857         | 14,926         | 100                                                              | 69                        |
| Haryana               | 44,212            | 1,588          | 1,602          | 1,603          | 14                                                               | 1                         |
| Himachal Pradesh      | 55,673            | 15,100         | 15,434         | 15,443         | 334                                                              | 9                         |
| Jharkhand             | 79,716            | 23,553         | 23,611         | 23,721         | 58                                                               | 110                       |
| Karnataka             | 1,91,791          | 37,550         | 38,575         | 38,730         | 1025                                                             | 155                       |
| Kerala                | 38,852            | 20,321         | 21,144         | 21,253         | 823                                                              | 109                       |
| Madhya Pradesh        | 3,08,252          | 77,414         | 77,482         | 77,493         | 68                                                               | 11                        |
| Maharashtra           | 3,07,713          | 50,682         | 50,778         | 50,798         | 96                                                               | 20                        |
| Manipur               | 22,327            | 17,346         | 16,847         | 16,598         | -499                                                             | -249                      |
| Meghalaya             | 22,429            | 17,146         | 17,119         | 17,046         | -27                                                              | -73                       |
| Mizoram               | 21,081            | 18,186         | 18,006         | 17,820         | -180                                                             | -186                      |
| Nagaland              | 16,579            | 12,489         | 12,486         | 12,251         | -3                                                               | -235                      |
| Odisha                | 1,55,707          | 51,345         | 51,619         | 52,156         | 274                                                              | 537                       |
| Punjab                | 50,362            | 1,837          | 1,849          | 1,847          | 12                                                               | -2                        |
| Rajasthan             | 3,42,239          | 16,572         | 16,630         | 16,655         | 58                                                               | 25                        |
| Sikkim                | 7,096             | 3,344          | 3,342          | 3,341          | -2                                                               | -1                        |
| Tamil Nadu            | 1,30,060          | 26,281         | 26,364         | 26,419         | 83                                                               | 55                        |
| Telangana             | 1,12,077          | 20,419         | 20,582         | 21,214         | 163                                                              | 632                       |
| Tripura               | 10,486            | 7,726          | 7,726          | 7,722          | 0                                                                | -4                        |
| Uttar Pradesh         | 2,40,928          | 14,679         | 14,806         | 14,818         | 127                                                              | 12                        |
| Uttarakhand           | 53,483            | 24,295         | 24,303         | 24,305         | 8                                                                | 2                         |
| West Bengal           | 88,752            | 16,847         | 16,902         | 16,832         | 55                                                               | -70                       |
| A&N Islands           | 8,249             | 6,742          | 6,743          | 6,744          | 1                                                                | 1                         |
| Chandigarh            | 114               | 21.56          | 22.03          | 22.88          | 0.47                                                             | 0.85                      |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli # | 491               | 207            | 207            |                | 0                                                                |                           |
| Daman &Diu #          | 111               | 20.49          | 20.49          | 227.75         | 0                                                                | 0.26                      |
| Jammu &Kashmir*       |                   | 23,241         | 21,358         | 21,387         | -1883                                                            | 29                        |
| Ladakh                | 2,22,236          | 0              | 2,254          | 2,272          | 2254                                                             | 18                        |
| Lakshadweep           | 30                | 27.10          | 27.10          | 27.10          | 0                                                                | 0                         |
| Puducherry            | 490               | 53.67          | 52.41          | 53.30          | -1.26                                                            | 0.89                      |
| Grand Total           | 32,87,469         | 7,08,273       | 7,12,249       | 7,13,789       | 3,976                                                            | 1,540                     |

## Annexure-II

Annexure referred to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5084due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Protection of Trees'.

The details of fund released to all States/UTs under Green India Mission during last five years.

(Rs. In Crore)

| Sl. No.             | States       | 2017-18   | 2018-19 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   |
|---------------------|--------------|-----------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|
| 1 Andhra            | Pradesh 0.45 | 2.67      | -                 | - 2.02    |           |
| 2 Arunachal Pradesh | -            | -         | -                 | -         | 13.43     |
| 3 Chhattisgarh      | 10.95        | 5.36      | 5.04              | 1.66      | 6.12      |
| 4 Haryana           | -            | -         | -                 |           | 9.55      |
| Himachal Pradesh    | -            | -         | -                 | 17.09 -   | 5         |
| Jammu& Kashmir      | -            | -         | -                 | 25.73 -   | 6         |
| Karnataka           | 0.86         | 1.62      | 2.21              | 4.45      | 2.35      |
| Kerala              | -            | -         | 16.32             | -- -      | 7 8       |
| Madhya Pradesh      | -            | 24.16     | 30.65             | -         | 18.29     |
| Maharashtra         | -            | 10.30     | -                 | - -       | 9 10      |
| 11 Manipur          | 6.42         | 4.89      | 4.16              | 6.74      | 9.93      |
| 12 Mizoram          | 20.00        | 22.36     | 17.71             | 2.99      | 29.86     |
| 13 Odisha           | 1.41         | 4.74      | 14.19             | 26.01     | 17.74     |
| 14 Punjab           | 6.22         | -         | 3.19              | -         | 3.32      |
| 15 Sikkim           | -            | 3.32      | 3.12              | 2.19      | 7.77      |
| 16 Uttarakhand      | -            | -         | -                 | 27.89     | 33.99     |
| 17 West Bengal      | -            | -         | 9.43              | -         | -         |
| Total               |              | 46.30     | 79.43 106.01      | 112.65    | 156.46    |

## Annexure-III

Annexure referred to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5084due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Protection of Trees '.

The  details  of  fund  released  to  all  States/UTs  under  National  Afforestation  Programme  from (2017-18 to 2021-22).

(Rs. In crore)

| S.   | State                | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   |        |
|------|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|--------|
| No.  |                      |           |           |           |           |           | TOTAL  |
| 1    | Andhra Pradesh       | 3.36      | 6.38      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 9.74   |
| 2    | Bihar                | 4.23      | 0         | 1.18      | 0.08      | 4.30      | 10.51  |
| 3    | Chhattisgarh         | 10.86     | 7.82      | 5.71      | 9.88      | 5.56      | 39.83  |
| 4    | Goa                  | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 5    | Gujarat              | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 6    | Haryana              | 2.71      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 2.71   |
| 7    | Himachal Pradesh     | 1.73      | 2.92      | 0.52      | 0.57      | 0         | 5.74   |
| 8    | Jammu &Kashmir       | 7.2       | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 7.2    |
| 9    | Jharkhand            | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 10   | Karnataka            | 3.24      | 10.99     | 0         | 0         | 9.01      | 23.24  |
| 11   | Kerala               | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 12   | Madhya Pradesh       | 8.74      | 7.78      | 0         | 0.57      | 0         | 17.09  |
| 13   | Maharashtra          | 6.73      | 15.33     | 0         | 0         | 0         | 22.06  |
| 14   | Orrisa               | 3.49      | 11.36     | 8.45      | 13.67     | 7.77      | 44.74  |
| 15   | Punjab               | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 16   | Rajasthan            | 1.4       | 1.95      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 3.35   |
| 17   | Tamil Nadu           | 0         | 2.07      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 2.07   |
| 18   | Telangana            | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
| 19   | Uttar Pradesh        | 0.67      | 0.32      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0.99   |
| 20   | Uttarakhand          | 3.36      | 2.58      | 0         | 1.06      | 0         | 7      |
| 21   | West Bengal          | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0      |
|      | Total (Other States) | 57.72     | 69.5      | 15.86     | 26.55     | 26.64     | 196.27 |
|      | North Eastern States |           |           |           |           |           |        |
| 22   | Arunachal Pradesh    | 0.86      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0.86   |
| 23   | Assam                | 0         | 0.58      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0.58   |
| 24   | Manipur              | 3.20      | 4.38      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 7.58   |
| 25   | Meghalaya            | 1.65      | 0.74      | 0         | 0         | 0         | 2.39   |
| 26   | Mizoram              | 5.80      | 7.79      | 0         | 7.4       | 5.14      | 26.13  |
| 27   | Nagaland             | 5.85      | 6.41      | 2.35      | 4.27      | 10.65     | 29.53  |
| 28   | Sikkim               | 0         | 5.98      | 0         | 0.88      | 0         | 6.86   |
| 29   | Tripura              | 4.94      | 0         | 3.76      | 1.33      | 3.75      | 13.78  |
|      | Total (NE States)    | 22.30     | 25.88     | 6.11      | 13.88     | 19.54     | 87.71  |
|      | Grand Total          | 80.0      | 95.38     | 21.98     | 40.42     | 46.17     | 283.98 |

Annexure-IV Annexure referred to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5084 due for reply

on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Protection of Trees '.

| Total release of Compensatory Afforestation Fund(CAMPA Fund) to States/Union Territories &expenditure thereof during last 5 years (2017-18 to 2021-22)   | Total release of Compensatory Afforestation Fund(CAMPA Fund) to States/Union Territories &expenditure thereof during last 5 years (2017-18 to 2021-22)   | Total release of Compensatory Afforestation Fund(CAMPA Fund) to States/Union Territories &expenditure thereof during last 5 years (2017-18 to 2021-22)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr.                                                                                                                                                      | State/UTs                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                          |
| No. Rs. in crores Funds transferred                                                                                                                      | No. Rs. in crores Funds transferred                                                                                                                      | No. Rs. in crores Funds transferred                                                                                                                      |
| 1                                                                                                                                                        | Andaman &Nicobar(UT)                                                                                                                                     | 19.3                                                                                                                                                     |
| 2                                                                                                                                                        | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                           | 2050.33                                                                                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                                                                                        | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                        | 2555.82                                                                                                                                                  |
| 4                                                                                                                                                        | Assam                                                                                                                                                    | 676.65                                                                                                                                                   |
| 5                                                                                                                                                        | Bihar                                                                                                                                                    | 643.52                                                                                                                                                   |
| 6                                                                                                                                                        | Chandigarh(UT)                                                                                                                                           | 13.78                                                                                                                                                    |
| 7                                                                                                                                                        | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                             | 5999.2                                                                                                                                                   |
| 8                                                                                                                                                        | Dadara& Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (UT)                                                                                                              | 22.87                                                                                                                                                    |
| 10                                                                                                                                                       | Delhi(UT)                                                                                                                                                | 138.17                                                                                                                                                   |
| 11                                                                                                                                                       | Goa                                                                                                                                                      | 242.86                                                                                                                                                   |
| 12                                                                                                                                                       | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                  | 1724.26                                                                                                                                                  |
| 13                                                                                                                                                       | Haryana                                                                                                                                                  | 1506.85                                                                                                                                                  |
| 14                                                                                                                                                       | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                         | 1887.24                                                                                                                                                  |
| 15                                                                                                                                                       | Jammu &Kashmir (UT)                                                                                                                                      | 935.31                                                                                                                                                   |
| 16                                                                                                                                                       | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                | 4678.27                                                                                                                                                  |
| 17                                                                                                                                                       | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                | 1537.77                                                                                                                                                  |
| 18                                                                                                                                                       | Kerala                                                                                                                                                   | 96.2                                                                                                                                                     |
| 19                                                                                                                                                       | Ladakh(UT)                                                                                                                                               | 249.27                                                                                                                                                   |
| 21                                                                                                                                                       | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                           | 6656.28                                                                                                                                                  |
| 22                                                                                                                                                       | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                              | 4553.46                                                                                                                                                  |
| 23                                                                                                                                                       | Manipur                                                                                                                                                  | 400.55                                                                                                                                                   |
| 24                                                                                                                                                       | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                | 170.31                                                                                                                                                   |
| 25                                                                                                                                                       | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                  | 228.13                                                                                                                                                   |
| 26                                                                                                                                                       | Nagaland                                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                                        |
| 27                                                                                                                                                       | Odisha                                                                                                                                                   | 7344.25                                                                                                                                                  |
| 29                                                                                                                                                       | Punjab                                                                                                                                                   | 1184.04                                                                                                                                                  |
| 30                                                                                                                                                       | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                | 2109.29                                                                                                                                                  |
| 31                                                                                                                                                       | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                   | 392.36                                                                                                                                                   |
| 32                                                                                                                                                       | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                               | 133.1                                                                                                                                                    |
| 33                                                                                                                                                       | Telangana                                                                                                                                                | 3474.76                                                                                                                                                  |
| 34                                                                                                                                                       | Tripura                                                                                                                                                  | 255.45                                                                                                                                                   |
| 35                                                                                                                                                       | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                            | 2114.23                                                                                                                                                  |
| 36                                                                                                                                                       | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                              | 3074.09                                                                                                                                                  |
| 37                                                                                                                                                       | West Bengal                                                                                                                                              | 257.7                                                                                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                                                                          | TOTAL                                                                                                                                                    | 57325.67                                                                                                                                                 |

Annexure referred to part (c) and (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5084due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Protection of Trees '.

|   S. No. | Name of the State/UTs   | Area under Encroachment (in ha)   |
|----------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh          | 25211.11                          |
|        2 | Assam                   | 377532.63                         |
|        3 | Arunachal Pradesh       | 53450.43                          |
|        4 | Bihar                   | 74.01                             |
|        5 | Chhattisgarh            | 7645.84                           |
|        6 | Gujarat                 | 25.24                             |
|        7 | Goa                     | Nil                               |
|        8 | Haryana                 | 1316.44                           |
|        9 | Himachal Pradesh        | 6252.00                           |
|       10 | Jharkhand               | 304.57                            |
|       11 | Jammu &Kashmir          | 16512.39                          |
|       12 | Karnataka               | 407.09                            |
|       13 | Kerala                  | 5024.54                           |
|       14 | Madhya Pradesh          | 54173.28                          |
|       15 | Maharashtra             | 228.81                            |
|       16 | Manipur                 | 2213.82                           |
|       17 | Meghalaya               | 9816.31                           |
|       18 | Mizoram                 | 10852.80                          |
|       19 | Nagaland                | 25.89                             |
|       20 | Odisha                  | 33154.19                          |
|       21 | Punjab                  | 9008.08                           |
|       22 | Rajasthan               | 13939.99                          |
|       23 | Sikkim                  | 2817.21                           |
|       24 | Tripura                 | 3621.80                           |
|       25 | Tamil Nadu              | 15010.71                          |
|       26 | Telangana               | 2004.48                           |
|       27 | Uttar Pradesh           | 27325.17                          |
|       28 | Uttarakhand             | 10649.11                          |
|       29 | West Bengal             | 10214.80                          |
|       30 | A &NIslands             | 3851.24                           |
|       31 | Chandigarh              | 14.00                             |
|       32 | D&N Haveli              | 0.08                              |
|       33 | Daman &Diu              | 87.83                             |
|       34 | Lakshadweep             | Nil                               |
|       35 | Delhi                   | 384.38                            |
|       36 | Puducherry              | Nil                               |
|       37 | Ladakh                  | 01.00                             |