Lok Sabha Question No. 269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-05
Subject: Schemes for Restoration of Mangrove Forests
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Vinod Chavda

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 269 ANSWERED ON 05.02.2024

## Schemes for Restoration of Mangrove Forests

## 269. SHRI VINOD L. CHAVDA:

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

- (a) whether  the  mangrove  forests  have  10  times  more  capacity  to  absorb  carbon  per hectare  in  comparison  with  terrestrial  forests  and  have  400  per  cent  faster  rate  of absorbing carbon in comparison with tropical rain forests situated on the regions of land;
- (b) whether the mangrove forests provide proliferation base for ocean bio-diversity and 80 per cent of global fish species are dependent on these mangrove forests;
- (c) if  so,  whether  the  Government  has  prepared  or  implemented  any  scheme  or  timebound  mission  to  restore  the  degraded  mangroves  and  to  increase  the  area  under mangrove forests situated at Indian coastline; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) Mangrove  forests  have  more  capacity  to  store  carbon,  provide  breeding grounds for marine biodiversity and support global fish populations. The Government has taken a  number  of  steps  to  protect  and  enhance  mangrove  forests  in coastal  States/Union Territories through promotional as well as regulatory measures. The promotional measures are  being  implemented  through  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  namely  'Conservation  and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs' under National Coastal Mission Programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.

Regulatory measures are implemented through Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification (2019) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Biological Diversity Act, 2002; and rules under these acts as amended from time to time.

Union Budget 2023-24 announced 'Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes  (MISHTI)'  to  promote  and  conserve  mangroves  as  unique,  natural  eco-system having  very  high  biological productivity and  carbon  sequestration  potential, besides working as a bio shield. Accordingly, MISHTI was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest  & Climate Change on the occasion of World Environment Day i.e., 5 th  June 2023. Further,  Operational  Guidelines  for  implementation  of  MISHTI  activities  have  been prepared and circulated to the States for preparation of plans.  MISHTI  envisages restoration/reforestation of Mangroves covering approximately 540 km 2 , spreading across 9

States and 3 Union Territories for a period of five years commencing 2023-24 onwards. The States have also been encouraged to take activities under MISHTI through convergence with the  existing  schemes/programs.  Overall,  the  mangrove  cover  of  the  country  witnessed  an increase of 252 km 2  between 2015 to 2021.

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