Lok Sabha Question No. 3940 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Social Forestry Schemes
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo

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

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO.3940

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022

## Social Forestry Schemes

## 3940. SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

## SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to promote plantation in various metropolitan cities in the country through recognized Non Governmental Organisation (NGO's) under social forestry schemes;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  details  of  various  initiatives  undertaken  by  the  Government  to  preserve  and develop the forest reserves in various metropolitan cities in the country?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  to (c) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change encourages plantation in the country including various metropolitan cities through programmes and schemes such  as  Nagar  Van  Yojana,  School  Nursery  Yojana,  Compensatory  Afforestation Fund  Management  and  Planning  Authority  (CAMPA),  National  Afforestation Programme (NAP), National Mission for a Green India (GIM), etc. which promotes urban  forestry,  tree  plantation  on  vacant  lands  and  bunds  on  farm  lands  etc.  by involving local communities, NGOs, educational institutions, local bodies, etc. In  specific  respect  to  urban  areas,  the  Ministry  is  implementing  the  Nagar  Van Yojana the scheme initiated  forcreation  of  Nagar Van  (city  forest)  in  urban  areas over  a  period  of  five  years  at  a  total  estimated  cost  of  Rs.895crore  under  the National Fund of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority  (CAMPA).  A  total  of  65  Nagar  Van  projects  in  22  States  have  been approved for implementation, so far, under NVY.

The following additional steps taken by the Government contribute to protection and development of forest areas in the country including in the metropolitan cities:

- i. For  preservation  and  protection  of  forest  and  wildlife,  various  laws  including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and other central/state laws as applicable to a State/UT, are implemented by the respective State Government /UT Administration. The Ministry also provides financial supports to the States /UTs under Forest Fire

Prevention and Management Scheme for protection against forest fire.

- ii. The  Ministry  has  implemented  National  Afforestation  Programme  (NAP)  for tree  plantation  in  degraded  forests  through  people's  participation  which  has been merged with National Mission for a Green India (GIM), under which, in addition to other sub-missions, there is a specific sub-mission for enhancing tree cover  in  urban  and  peri-urban  areas.  An  area  over  2  million  hectare  was sanctioned for taking up afforestation in the States/Union Territories (UTs) with an  investment  of  about  Rs.  3936.41  crores  till  2020-21  under  NAP  since  its launching year 2000. Under GIM an amount of about Rs. 455 crore has been released to States/UTs since 2015-16 to 2020-21.
- iii. Urban forestry is a permissible activity under the provisions of Compensatory Fund Act, 2016 and the Rules made there under. The Government of India has disbursed an amount of Rs. 48606.39crore from National Fund to 32 State funds as share of respective States as per Compensatory Fund Act, 2016.
- iv. As per information received from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), 1864 No. of parks over 3794 acres of land have been developed in the Mission cities.
- v. Further, tree plantation, being a multi-departmental, multi-agency activity, are also being taken up cross-sectorally under various programmes/funding sources of other ministries/ organizations and also through State Plan budgets.

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