Lok Sabha Question No. 141 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Compensatory Afforestation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO. 141

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2023

## Compensatory Afforestation

## 141. SHRI T.R. BAALU:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that 5 million hectares of forest lands have been diverted for nonforestry purposes after the implementation of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 against which only 1 million hectares of compensatory afforestation has been done;
- (b) if so, whether any special plan has been made to enhance afforestation so that Net Zero Carbon Emission target of 2070 could be realized; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (c)  An area of 10,20,381.29 hectare or approximately 1.02 million hectare of forest land has  been  diverted  for  non-forestry  purposes  since  implementation  of  the  Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (FCA,1980). The Compensatory Afforestation on equivalent non-forestry land or degraded forest land double in extent to the area diverted is stipulated as per rules/guidelines in case of diversion of forest land under FCA, 1980 for compensating the loss of forest and ecosystem services. The Central Government has enacted the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 with the objectives of compensating the loss of forest land and ecosystem services due to diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes through compensatory afforestation,  improvement  of  quality  of  forest,  restoration  of  degraded  forests, enrichment  of  biodiversity,  forest  fire  prevention  measures  and  improvement  of wildlife  habitat  etc.  As  per  the  information  received  from  the  States  and  Union Territories,  compensatory  afforestation  has  been  carried  out  over  10,29,339.40 hectare  or  1.03  million  hectare  against  the  diverted  forest  land  of  1.02  million hectare.

India, at the 26 th  Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26) in November, 2021, announced its target to achieve net zero by 2070.  India's  long-term  low-carbon  development  strategy  rests  on  seven  key transitions to low-carbon development pathways and one of the strategy is enhancing forest and vegetation cover consistent with socioeconomic and ecological considerations.  Further  in  consonance  with  National  Forest  Policy  (NFP),  1988,

which envisages the national goal to have a minimum of one- third of the total land area under forest or tree cover and two-third of the area under such cover in the hill and  mountainous  regions  of  the  country,  various  afforestation  related  schemes aiming at promoting tree plantations are  implemented by the Ministry of Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  and  other  ministries.  The  Ministry supports  the  States/Union  Territories  for  carrying  out  various  afforestation/tree plantation activities under Centrally Sponsored Schemes like National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Nagar Van Yojana, compensatory afforestation, afforestation on natural  landscapes  under  Mission  Namami  Gange  etc  including  taking  suitable measures for promoting trees outside forest with involvement of people. In addition, States  and  Union  Territories  also  implement  various  schemes  promoting  tree plantation activities under State/UT Plan, MGNREGA etc. The Central Government has  also  recently  launched  Mission  MISHTI  for  afforestation  and  restoration  of mangroves in 540 sq. km area along the 7,500 km coastal belt of the country.

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