Lok Sabha Question No. 216 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Harish Chandra Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 216

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025

## Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects

## 216*. SHRI HARISH CHANDRA MEENA:

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

- (a) whether  certain  urban  infrastructure  projects  were  completed  without  carrying  out compensatory afforestation in violation of forest diversion guidelines;
- (b) if  so,  the  prescribed  number  of  seedlings  planted  along  with  the  time  limit  granted therefor  and  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  including  penalty  received  by  the Government in case of violation of said guidelines;
- (c) whether the Government maintains a record of afforestation plans submitted by the implementing agencies for urban development works; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (d)
- A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

***

## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question  No.  216  to  be  answered  on  04.08.2025  on  'Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects' by Shri Harish Chandra Meena'

- (a) & (b) The Central Government accords prior approval under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 for diversion  of forest  land  for  non-forestry purposes including infrastructure projects.

The diversion of forestland is allowed with adequate mitigation measures and the  raising  of  Compensatory  Afforestation  is  an  essential  condition  to  be complied by the respective States/UTs. As per the provisions under the Van (Sanrakshan  Evam  Samvardhan)  Rules,2023,  the  work  of  compensatory afforestation has to start within two years of issue of order of diversion of the corresponding forest land.

Further, the work of Compensatory Afforestation or  other afforestation works including those  in urban areas is carried out by the respective State/UT which has the primary responsibility of maintaining and monitoring such plantations. The record of such plantations is maintained by the respective State/UT.

- (c) & (d) The  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  is  utilized  by  the  States/UTs  for compensating the loss of forest and its ecological services, due to diversion of forest land for various non-forest purposes as per the provisions of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF Act, 2016).

The State Authorities constituted under the CAF Act, 2016 prepare the Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) for the utilization of their State CAMPA funds as per the laid down provisions of the CAF Act,2016 and the Rules made there under.

States/UT authorities submit Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) every year for approval  to  National  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and Planning Authority. The status of Compensatory Afforestation (CA) for last five years is attached as Annexure .

| Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   | Annexure Annexure referred to the Part (c) &(d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding ' Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects'.   |
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| S. No.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | State/UT                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 2020-21                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2021-22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2022-23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2023-24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2024-25                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 1.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Andaman& Nicobar Islands                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 36.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 95.47                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 132.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 2.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 500.91                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 485.11                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 708.54                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 311.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3471.88                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 3.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1793.93                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 11608.44                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 4458.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2858.42                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 20719.46                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 4.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Assam                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 652.578                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 114.5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 382.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1149.64                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Bihar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1661.51                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 1321.09                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3171.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 6.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Chandigarh                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0.79                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0.18                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0.97                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 7.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 2963.34                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1541.69                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 465.2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 467.74                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7039.23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 8.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Delhi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 47.54                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 23.02                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 72.06                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 37.34                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 179.96                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 9.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Goa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 200                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 200                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 299                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 470                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1209                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 10.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1019.85                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3646.72                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 4584.53                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2004.94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 14103.32                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 11.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Haryana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1240.06                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1870.22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1608.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 5012.91                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 12.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 876                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 899                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 885                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 888                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 4073                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 13.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 3545                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 306                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1360.71                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 262.08                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6434.79                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 14.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 2734.49                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3324.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3202.83                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2789.84                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 15739.27                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 15.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 188.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 522.77                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 715.01                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 720.29                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2761.26                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 16.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 11.7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 42.84                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 117.26                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 171.8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 17.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Ladakh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 21746.82                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 18.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 3892.66                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3585.66                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 3457.22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 5301.66                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 4316.74                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 19.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 633.57                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 218.351                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 182.27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 544.384                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 666.94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 20.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Manipur                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 666.94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 114.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 21.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 114.56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2570.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 22.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1236.5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1303.78                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 29.96                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 23.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Odisha                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3802.2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3501.45                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 4632.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1628.66                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 16964.78                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 24.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Punjab                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 311.99                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 644.995                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 800.38                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 940.38                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4019.72                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 25.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 2147.85                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 808.52                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 444.79                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1365.4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7377.15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 26.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 106.04                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 183.98                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 94.67                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 53.19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 609.52                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 27.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 82.57                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 84.76                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 28.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Telangana                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 4178.16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2490.07                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2052.71                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 551.12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 13686.57                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 29.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Tripura                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 182.8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 391.86                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 566.4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 669.85                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2295.23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 30.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1136.58                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1091.43                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1604.68                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1288.6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5877.16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 31.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 2325.61                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2738.62                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 2448.71                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1697.24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 11812.89                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |