Lok Sabha Question No. 981 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: India State of Forest Report, 2023
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  981

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## India State of Forest Report, 2023

## 981.   SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

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

- (a) whether India State of Forest Report, 2023 released in December, 2024, indicates increase in country's forest and tree cover by 1445 sq. kms. since 2021 to 8.27 lakh sq. kms.;
- (b) if so, the details of increase, State-wise, including districts of Andhra Pradesh;
- (c) whether it is true that there is reduction in the forest cover in the Western and the Eastern Ghats of the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a)to(d) The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 released on 21 st  December, 2024 by  the  Forest  Survey  of  India,  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change, Government of India indicates that there is a net increase of 1445.81 square kilometer in forest and tree cover of the country as compared to ISFR 2021.  The  total  forest  and  tree  cover  of  the  country  is  8,27,356.95  square kilometer which is 25.17% of the geographical area of the country. The details of increase in Forest and Tree Cover in the respective States/UTs are given in Annexure-I. Details of districts in Andhra Pradesh in which increase in forest cover has been reported is given in Annexure-II.

As per ISFR 2023, the forest cover of the country is 7,15,342.61 square kilometer which also includes the Eco-Sensitive Areas of Western Ghats. Further, there has been a net increase of 16,630.25 square kilometer in forest cover during last 10 years in the country between ISFR 2013 and ISFR 2023, which include increase of  3,465.12 square kilometer in the category of very dense forest in the ecosensitive area of Western Ghats.

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Annexure I Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 981 due for answer on 10.02.2025 regarding 'India State of Forest Report, 2023'

## States/UTs showing increase in Forest and Tree Cover between ISFR 2021 and ISFR 2023

(Area in Square kilometer)

| States /UTs                        | Total Forest Cover including Tree Cover 2021   | Total Forest Cover including Tree Cover 2023   |   Increase in Forest Cover and Tree Cover |
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| Chhattisgarh                       | 61,666.83                                      | 62,350.45                                      |                                    683.62 |
| Delhi                              | 366.42                                         | 371.31                                         |                                      4.89 |
| Gujarat                            | 21,484.85                                      | 21,648.93                                      |                                    164.08 |
| Haryana                            | 3,180.07                                       | 3,307.28                                       |                                    127.21 |
| Himachal Pradesh                   | 16,338.97                                      | 16,435.42                                      |                                     96.45 |
| Jharkhand                          | 27,116.37                                      | 27,403.33                                      |                                    286.96 |
| Kerala                             | 24,951.54                                      | 24,965.30                                      |                                     13.76 |
| Maharashtra                        | 65,326.67                                      | 65,383.41                                      |                                     56.74 |
| Mizoram                            | 18,379.84                                      | 18,558.26                                      |                                    178.42 |
| Odisha                             | 58,038.44                                      | 58,597.01                                      |                                    558.57 |
| Punjab                             | 3,144.47                                       | 3,321.24                                       |                                    176.77 |
| Rajasthan                          | 26,994.87                                      | 27,389.33                                      |                                    394.46 |
| Sikkim                             | 3,403.85                                       | 3,406.73                                       |                                      2.88 |
| Uttar Pradesh                      | 23,437.53                                      | 23,996.72                                      |                                    559.19 |
| Uttarakhand                        | 25,528.40                                      | 25,534.97                                      |                                      6.57 |
| West Bengal                        | 19,744.72                                      | 19,770.45                                      |                                     25.73 |
| Chandigarh                         | 40.52                                          | 46.18                                          |                                      5.66 |
| Dadra& Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu | 260.81                                         | 262.45                                         |                                      1.64 |
| Jammu &Kashmir                     | 24,922.11                                      | 25,013.36                                      |                                     91.25 |
| Lakshadweep                        | 27.11                                          | 27.26                                          |                                      0.15 |
| Puducherry                         | 71.85                                          | 73.20                                          |                                      1.35 |

## Annexure-II Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 981 due for answer on 10.02.2025 regarding 'India State of Forest Report, 2023'

## Details of Districts in Andhra Pradesh showing increase in Forest Cover

## as per ISFR 2023

## (Area in Square kilometer)

| Name of District            |   Increase in Forest Cover between ISFR 2023 and ISFR 2021 |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| Bapatla                     |                                                       2.1  |
| Guntur                      |                                                       0.25 |
| Kakinada                    |                                                       4.12 |
| Konaseema                   |                                                      10.68 |
| Krishna                     |                                                       9.34 |
| Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore |                                                      17.77 |
| Sri Sathya Sai              |                                                       0.78 |
| Srikakulam                  |                                                       6.04 |
| Vizianagaram                |                                                      35.35 |
| West Godavari               |                                                       9.16 |