Lok Sabha Question No. 1350 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Commitments to UNCCD
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1350

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025

## Commitments to UNCCD

## 1350.   SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:

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

- (a) whether the  Government has  implemented any  programmes in Rajasthan to combat land  degradation  and  desertification  under  it's  commitments  to  the  United  Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and related national action plans;
- (b) if so, the status and outcomes of such initiatives, district-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has any plans to develop or conserve wildlife corridors in areas  such  as  Kumbhalgarh  and  Todgarh-Raoli  Wildlife  Sanctuaries,  located  in Rajsamand district; and
- (d) the details of compensatory afforestation activities and utilisation of CAMPA fund in Rajsamand district during the last five years?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Combatting desertification and land degradation is a dynamic process requiring, adaptive strategies, coordinated stakeholder engagement and continuous monitoring. India adopts a multi-pronged strategy to ensure sustainability in desert regions and combat land degradation through monitoring, research, policy interventions, and community participation. Some of  the  key  initiatives  taken  to  combat  land  degradation  and  desertification include  the  publication  of  the  Desertification  and  Land  Degradation  Atlas  of India by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), which provides state-wise data on land degradation, aiding planning and implementation, and an online portal developed by SAC which links degraded areas with causative processes helping in  better  planning  and  mitigation  measures.  A Centre  of  Excellence  for Sustainable  Land  Management has  been  set  up  at  ICFRE  Dehradun  which promotes  land  degradation  neutrality,  facilitates  South-South  cooperation, shares India's cost-effective land management practices, and supports capacity building  while  the  ICFRE  Institute,  Arid  Forest  Research  Institute  (AFRI) Jodhpur  conducts  forestry  research  to  enhance  vegetation  and  biodiversity  in arid zones.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  launched  a number of afforestation schemes/programmes which also address the problem of land degradation and desertification, namely the Green India Mission (GIM),

Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), School Nursery Yojana (SNY), the EcoDevelopment Forces (EDF) scheme, the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change  (NAFCC)  and  funds  under  the  Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) which are utilized for control of desertification through afforestation, water conservation and management in arid  areas  including  Rajasthan.  The  State  Government  of  Rajasthan  is  also implementing Climate  Change  and Combating Desertification  (CC&CD) programme for combating land degradation and desertification. The details of these initiatives are given at Annexure - 1.

Further, the ' Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was launched on 5 th  June, 2024 with  the  objectives  of  halting  and  reversing  land  degradation,  build  drought resilience,  prevent  desertification  and  increase  the  green  cover  of  the  country through voluntary planting of trees on a 'Whole of Government' and 'Whole of  Society' approach, and the State  of Rajasthan  has planted 7.27 crore  trees saplings till end of March, 2025 under this campaign.

- (c) The proposal for  creation  of  Kumbhalgarh  Tiger  Reserve  has  been  accorded 'in-principle' approval by the Ministry. The creation of a tiger reserve brings conservation and protection of wildlife corridors in focus.
- (d) The  details  of  the  compensatory  afforestation  activities  and  utilisation  of CAMPA  fund  in  Rajsamand  district  during  the  last  five  years  is  given  at Annexure 2.

***

Annexure-1

Annexure referred to in reply  of part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred  Question No.  1350 regarding 'Commitments to UNCCD' raised by Smt Mahima Kumari Mewar due for reply on 28.07.2025.

District wise details of plantation activities under various schemes in Rajasthan in last five years:

| Name of the Scheme/Programme:   | Name of the Scheme/Programme:   | Name of the Scheme/Programme:   | Climate Change and Combating Desertification   | Climate Change and Combating Desertification   | Climate Change and Combating Desertification   | Climate Change and Combating Desertification   | Climate Change and Combating Desertification   |
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                          | District/ Year                  | 2020-21                         | 2021-22                                        | 2022-23                                        | 2023-24                                        | 2024-25                                        | Total (Area in Ha)                             |
| 1                               | Ajmer                           | 250                             | 25                                             |                                                | 100                                            | 250                                            | 625                                            |
| 2                               | Barmer                          | 250                             | 150                                            | 625                                            | 1650                                           | 800                                            | 3475                                           |
| 3                               | Bikaner                         | 600                             | 330                                            | 1605                                           | 2600                                           | 3100                                           | 8235                                           |
| 4                               | Churu                           | 200                             | 200                                            | 224                                            | 160                                            | 250                                            | 1034                                           |
| 5                               | Ganganagar                      | 200                             | 120                                            | 935                                            | 1950                                           | 2400                                           | 5605                                           |
| 6                               | Hanumangarh                     | 200                             | 130                                            | 720                                            | 2000                                           | 700                                            | 3750                                           |
| 7                               | Jaisalmer                       | 875                             | 610                                            | 2296                                           | 3600                                           | 5245                                           | 12626                                          |
| 8                               | Jalore                          | -                               | -                                              | -                                              | 300                                            | 150                                            | 450                                            |
| 9                               | Jhunjhunu                       | 400                             | 440                                            | 950                                            | 300                                            | 850                                            | 2940                                           |
| 10                              | Jodhpur                         | 75                              | 70                                             | 270                                            | 600                                            | 1175                                           | 2190                                           |
| 11                              | Nagaur                          | 350                             | 425                                            | 1005                                           | 1290                                           | 1655                                           | 4725                                           |
| 12                              | Sikar                           | 700                             | 400                                            | 1370                                           | 900                                            | 900                                            | 4270                                           |
|                                 | Total                           | 4100                            | 2900                                           | 10000                                          | 15450                                          | 17475                                          | 49925                                          |

| Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: Eco-Task Force   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                         | District/ Year                                 | 2020-21                                        | 2021-22                                        | 2022-23                                        | 2023-24                                        | 2024-25                                        | Total (Area in Ha)                             |
| 1                                              | Jaisalmer                                      | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 3000                                           |
|                                                | Total                                          | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 600                                            | 3000                                           |

| Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   | Name of the Scheme/Programme: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change ( NAFCC)   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                               | District/ Year                                                                       | 2020-21                                                                              | 2021-22                                                                              | 2022-23                                                                              | 2023-24                                                                              | 2024-25                                                                              | Total (Area in Ha)                                                                   |
| 1                                                                                    | Barmer                                                                               | -                                                                                    | -                                                                                    | 550                                                                                  | 650                                                                                  | -                                                                                    | 1200                                                                                 |
|                                                                                      | Total                                                                                | -                                                                                    | -                                                                                    | 550                                                                                  | 650                                                                                  | -                                                                                    | 1200                                                                                 |

***

Annexure referred to in reply of part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1350 regarding 'Commitments to UNCCD' raised by Smt Mahima Kumari Mewar due for reply on 28.07.2025

Details  of  compensatory  afforestation  activities  and  utilization  of  CAMPA  fund  in Rajsamand district during the last five years:

| S. No.      | Year        | Compensatory Afforestation Activity                                      | Area (in Ha.)   |   Utilization (In Lakh) |
|-------------|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
| 1           | 2020-21     | Compensatory Afforestation- Non Forest land (CA-NFL) maintenance         | 29.54           |                    1.42 |
| 1           | 2020-21     | Compensatory Afforestation- Degraded Forest land (CA DFL) maintenance    | 70.62           |                    2.23 |
| Total       | Total       | Total                                                                    | Total           |                    3.65 |
| 2           | 2021-22     | Compensatory Afforestation- Non Forest land (CA-NFL) maintenance         | 29.54           |                    1.49 |
| 2           | 2021-22     | Compensatory Afforestation- Degraded Forest land (CA DFL) maintenance    | 70.62           |                    2.34 |
|             |             | Total                                                                    |                 |                    3.83 |
| 3           | 2022-23     | Transmission Line Medicinal Plants Advance Action                        | 19.12           |                    9.76 |
| 3           | 2022-23     | Compensatory Afforestation- Non Forest land (CA NFL) Plantation          | 3.94            |                    2.52 |
| 3           | 2022-23     | CA NFL maintenance                                                       | 29.54           |                    1.67 |
| 3           | 2022-23     | CA NFL maintenance                                                       | 70.62           |                    4.26 |
|             |             | Total                                                                    |                 |                   18.21 |
| 4           | 2023-24     | Transmission Line maintenance                                            | 19.12           |                   42.32 |
| 4           | 2023-24     | CA NFL maintenance                                                       | 33.48           |                    2.46 |
| 4           | 2023-24     | CA DFL maintenance                                                       | 70.62           |                    4.37 |
| Total       | Total       | Total                                                                    | Total           |                   49.15 |
| 5           | 2024-25     | Transmission Line maintenance                                            | 19.12           |                   19.47 |
| 5           | 2024-25     | CA NFL maintenance                                                       | 33.48           |                    1.94 |
| 5           | 2024-25     | Compensatory Afforestation- Degraded Forest land (CA DFL) Advance Action | 497.714         |                   91.83 |
| 5           | 2024-25     | CA DFL maintenance                                                       | 70.62           |                    4.24 |
| 5           | 2024-25     | 100 Tree Planting                                                        | 100 Tree        |                    0.58 |
| Total       | Total       | Total                                                                    | Total           |                  118.06 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total | Grand Total                                                              | Grand Total     |                  192.9  |