Lok Sabha Question No. 985 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: Decrease in Forest Area
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 985

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2024

## Decrease in Forest Area

## 985. SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE:

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

- (a) whether a decline has been observed in forest area during the last three years, if so, the plan of the Government to increase forest cover in the country;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  plan  for  conservation  of  forests  and rehabilitation of people residing in forest areas;
- (c) if so, the number of people displaced from the forest areas during the last three years; and
- (d) whether necessary action has been taken for rehabilitation of the said displaced people and ifso, the details thereof, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

(a) As per latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) - 2021 published by Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, the total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometre which is  21.71%  of  the  geographical  area  of  the  country.  The  forest  cover  of  the  country  has increased by 5516 square kilometre as compared to that in the ISFR-2017.

(b) to (d) For restoration and conservation of forests, the Government is implementing various schemes  and  programmes  such  as  National  Mission  for  a  Green  India  (GIM),  Integrated Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats,  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and Planning  Authority  (CAMPA),  Nagar  Van  Yojana  (NVY)  and  Mangrove  Initiative  for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) etc. These funds support the efforts of the States and UTs for ecological restoration through afforestation in and outside forest areas, forest landscape restoration, habitat improvement, soil and water conservation measures, and protection etc.

Under  the  Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats  scheme,  the  Ministry  provides financial assistance to State/UTs for conservation and management of protected areas which also includes components for human-wildlife conflict mitigation and voluntary relocation of villages  from  National  Parks/Sanctuaries  and  Tiger  Reserves.  The  relocation  process  are monitored  /implemented  by  the  State  level  monitoring  committees  and  District  level implementing committees.

As per information received from States/UTs, 257 villages relocated from the core/critical tiger habitats.  The State wise details are enclosed at Annexure.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) to (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 985 due for answer on 29.07.2024 regarding 'Decrease in Forest Area'

## Details of village relocation from Tiger Reserves

| SI. No.   | State             |   No. of villages relocated from the notified Core (CTH) since the inception of the Project Tiger |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    |                                                                                                 0 |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh |                                                                                                 0 |
| 3         | Assam             |                                                                                                 0 |
| 4         | Bihar             |                                                                                                 0 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      |                                                                                                 6 |
| 6         | Jharkhand         |                                                                                                 0 |
| 7         | Karnataka         |                                                                                                32 |
| 8         | Kerala            |                                                                                                 0 |
| 9         | Madhya Pradesh    |                                                                                               109 |
| 10        | Maharashtra       |                                                                                                62 |
| 11        | Mizoram           |                                                                                                 1 |
| 12        | Odisha            |                                                                                                 5 |
| 13        | Rajasthan         |                                                                                                17 |
| 14        | Tamil Nadu        |                                                                                                 6 |
| 15        | Telangana         |                                                                                                 0 |
| 16        | Uttar Pradesh     |                                                                                                 0 |
| 17        | Uttarakhand       |                                                                                                17 |
| 18        | West Bengal       |                                                                                                 2 |
| Total     | Total             |                                                                                               257 |