Lok Sabha Question No. 3550 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-08
Subject: Forest Cover
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Agatha K. Sangma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3550

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 08.08.2022

## Forest Cover

## 3550. KUMARI AGATHA K. SANGMA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  plans  to  make  Forest  Survey  of  India  (FSI)  data  publicly available for verification of the claim that forest cover has increased in the country and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether monoculture plantations are counted as forest cover in the FSI report and if so, the justification for the same;
- (c) the reasons for declining tree cover in the North East Region which accounts for 74% of the total tree loss in the country;
- (d) the details of area in which afforestation efforts have been implemented in the North East Region during the last three years, State-wise and  year-wise; and
- (e) the steps taken to preserve the biodiversity and forest cover of the North East Region?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) India State of Forest Reports having state wise forest cover maps and district wise forest cover figure are available at Forest Survey of India website .
- (b) The term 'forest cover' reported in India State of Forest Report (ISFR) refers to all lands, more  than  one  hectare  in  area,  with  a  tree  canopy  density  of  more  than  10  percent irrespective of ownership and legal status. Such lands may not necessarily be a recorded forest area. It also includes orchards, bamboo, palm and monoculture plantations. As per decision 19 of Conference of Parties (CP9) -Kyoto Protocol, the forest can be defined by any country depending upon the capacities and capabilities of the country as follows:Forest- Forest is defined structurally on the basis of
-  Crown cover percentage: Tree crown cover- 10 to 30% (India 10%)
-  Minimum area of stand: area between 0.05 and 1 hectare (India 1.0 hectare) and
-  Minimum height of trees: Potential to reach a minimum height at maturity in situ of 2 to 5 metre (India 2 metre)

India's definition of forest has been taken on the basis of above three criteria only  and  very  well  accepted  by  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on Climate  Change  (UNFCCC)  and  Food  and  Agriculture  Organization  (FAO)

for their reporting/communications. The definition of forest cover has clearly been defined in all India State of Forest Reports (ISFR) and in all International communications of India.

- (c) As per ISFR-2021, the loss in forest cover in the North Eastern States may be attributed mainly to developmental activities, natural calamities and anthropogenic pressure.
- (d) 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 by undertaking plantation activities in the forest and non-forest areas. GIM activities were started in the Financial Year 201516. So far, a sum of Rs. 97.91 Crores have been released to 4 North eastern States namely Arunachal  Pradesh,  Manipur,  Mizoram  and  Sikkim  for  undertaking  the  afforestation activities over 23429 hectares.  The State-wise and year-wise details of funds released and afforestation targets under Green India Mission are given at Annexure .
- (e) To improve and increase the forest & tree cover in the country, afforestation programmes are taken up under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Ministry such as National Mission  for  a  Green  India  (GIM).    The  Ministry  is  implementing  Nagar  Van  Yojana (NVY) since the year 2020 which envisages developing 400 Nagar Vans and 200 Nagar Vatika  in  the  country  during  the  period  of  2020-21  to  2024-25  with  an  objective  to significantly enhance the tree outside forests and green cover, enhancement of biodiversity  and  ecological  benefits  to  the  urban  and  peri-urban  areas  apart  from improving quality of life of city dwellers with the funds under the National Fund of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). The Ministry is also implementing 'School Nursery Yojana' (SNY) since the year 2020 for a period of five years where students of class Sixth, Seventh and Eighth from all public and private  schools  organized  by  State  Boards/  Central  Government  Boards  all  over  the country will be actively involved in developing nursery, raising and planting seedlings as part of school curriculum.

Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme,  Compensatory Afforestation Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Afforestation activities are also taken up under various schemes of State Government /UT Administration. In addition, plantations are also done by various departments, Non-Government Organizations, Civil Society, Corporate bodies etc.

The  State  Governments  in  North  East  region  also  carry  out  plantation  involving  local communities in the Jhum affected areas and provide alternate livelihood for forest fringe communities. The State Governments also take steps for protection of forest and wildlife by continuous patrolling, extension and research activities for preservation of biodiversity and forest cover.

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Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3550

## due for answer on 08.08.2022 regarding 'Forest Cover'

## Fund released in NER Head from 2019-20 to 2021-22 under Green India Mission

(Rs. in Crores)

| S. No   | States            | FY 2019-20    | FY 2019-20      | FY 2020-21    | FY 2020-21      | FY 2021-22    | FY 2021-22      | Total Fund released   | Total sanctioned afforestation Target (hectare)   |
|---------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| S. No   | States            | Fund released | Physical Target | Fund released | Physical Target | Fund released | Physical Target | Total Fund released   | Total sanctioned afforestation Target (hectare)   |
| 1       | Arunachal Pradesh | -             | -               | -             | -               | 13.43         | 10777           | 13.43                 | 10777                                             |
| 2       | Manipur           | 4.16          | -               | 6.74          | 8122            | 9.93          | 2056            | 20.83                 | 10178                                             |
| 3       | Mizoram           | 17.71         | -               | 2.99          | -               | 29.86         | -               | 50.56                 | 0                                                 |
| 4       | Sikkim            | 3.12          | -               | 2.19          | -               | 7.77          | 2474            | 13.09                 | 2474                                              |
|         | Total             | 25.00         | -               | 11.92         | 8122            | 60.99         | 15307           | 97.91                 | 23429                                             |