Lok Sabha Question No. 2181 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Conservation and Management of Mangroves
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2181

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024

## Conservation and Management of Mangroves

## 2181.   SHRI K C VENUGOPAL

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

- (a) whether the State Government of Kerala has submitted a management action plan for the 'Conservation and Management of Mangroves in Vembanad and Kannur Regions', if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the reaction of the Government thereto,
- (c) whether the Government  proposed  to  sanction assistance for survey assessment, demarcation, and community participation in this conservation project; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  any  plans  for  the  conservation  of  Mangroves  in  other regions of Kerala State, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to  (c)  The  State  Forest  Department  of  Kerala    submitted  a  Management  Action  Plan  for Conservation  and  Management  of  Mangroves  in  Vembanad  and  Kannur  in  2022-23  for    ₹219 lakhs  and  ₹185  lakhs  respectively.  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change (MoEFCC), under the scheme of Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs, issued administrative approval in 2022-23 itself for ₹ 89.21 lakhs and ₹78.45 lakhs for Vembanad and  Kannur  respectively  with  60:40  funding  pattern  (60%  as  Central  share  and  40%  as  State share).

The Management Action Plan was sanctioned with the provision of core activities and ancillary activities as given below:

| Core Activities                                                                         | Ancillary activities                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Promotion of Agroforestry                                                               | Extension and awareness                                                                                  |
| Obligatory maintenance of seedlings raised and raising coastal shelter belt plantations | Providing alternate livelihood options for mangrove dependent people                                     |
| Providing human resources based livelihood to reduce dependence on mangrove resources   | Entry point activities (drainage, sanitation, drinking water facility, family health care activity etc.) |

| Core Activities   | Ancillary activities     |
|-------------------|--------------------------|
| Afforestation     | Research and Development |

(d) The 'Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes' (MISHTI) scheme has been launched by MoEFCC on 5 th  June 2023 to restore and promote mangroves as unique, natural eco-system  and  for  preserving  and  enhancing  the  sustainability  of  the  coastal  habitats.  This programme covers approximately 540 sq km area across all coastal States and Union Territories including Kerala. A total of ₹ 66.6 lakhs have been released to the State of Kerala for mangrove restoration activities over an area of 13ha, in Kannur District during 2024-25.

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