Lok Sabha Question No. 4174 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Illegal Deforestation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ashok Kumar Rawat, Tapir Gao

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4174

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## Illegal Deforestation

## 4174.   SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT: SHRI TAPIR GAO:

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

- (a) whether environment has been adversely affected due to illegal deforestation in the country;
- (b) if so, the decline in percentage in forest areas during the last three years as on date, Statewise;
- (c) the efforts made by the Government to check deforestation;
- (d) the details of the talks held with the State Governments in this regard during the last three years;
- (e) the details of afforestation drive organised by the Government during the last three years to restore forest, State-wise; and
- (f) whether the Government has any policy to promote afforestation programme in such areas having frequent landslides and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)and (b) 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 wise details of change in Forest Cover between ISFR 2017, ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021 are given in Annexure-I .

Further, the Protection and management of forests are primarily the responsibility of concerned State/UT  Governments,  and  various  afforestation  activities  and  forest  protection  measures  are being taken up by the states to increase the forest cover and for sustainable management of the forests as per approved working plans .

(c)to  (f)In  order  to  increase  the  forest  cover  in  the  country,  afforestation  and  tree  plantation activities are  undertaken by States/UTs. The  Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes namely Green India Mission to support and supplement the efforts of States and Union Territories.

The Ministry is implementing Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) since the year 2020 which envisages creation of 400 Nagar Vans and 200 Nagar Vatika in the country during the period 2020-21 to 2024-25 under the funds available under National Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA). The Nagar Van Yojana aims to enhance the green cover in the urban and peri-urban areas including biological diversity, provide ecological benefits and improve the quality of life of city dwellers.

The  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  (CAMPA  fund)  are  being  utilized  by  States/UTs  for taking  up compensatory  afforestation as  per  approved  Annual  Plan  of  Operations  for compensating the loss of forest & tree cover due to diversion of forest land for developmental projects as per provisions of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF Act) and CAF Rules, 2018.

Afforestation  activities  are  also  taken  up  under  various  programmes  and  schemes  of  line Ministry such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, National Bamboo Mission, Sub-Mission on Agroforestry etc. and under schemes of State Government/UT Administration through different departments, Non-Government Organizations, Civil Society, Corporate bodies etc. The multi departmental efforts have yielded good results in conserving and enhancing forest cover in the country.

*****

## Annexure-I

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) and (b) of the LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 4174 due for answer on 27.03.2023 regarding 'Illegal Deforestation'

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

|                       | Geographical   | Forest Cover   | Forest Cover   | Forest Cover   |                                                                                   |                                     |
|-----------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| States/UTs            | area           | ISFR 2017 (a)  | ISFR 2019 (b)  | ISFR 2021 (c)  | Change in Forest Cover between ISFR 2017 & ISFR 2019 (b-a) Change Cover ISFR ISFR | in Forest 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            | 227.75         | 0                                                                                 | 0.26                                |
| Daman &Diu #          | 111            | 20.49          | 20.49          |                | 0                                                                                 |                                     |
| 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                               |