Lok Sabha Question No. 120 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Tree Plantation Drive
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.120

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025

## Tree Plantation Drive

## 120. SHRI DARSHAN SINGH CHOUDHARY:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to plant trees along the National Highways and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to plant trees along the Narmada River and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to protect the environment on a large scale?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) carries out plantations according to mandate of Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance),  Policy-2015  following  the  guidelines  and  species  matrix  according  to agro-climatic  zone  of  the  project  area  as  defined  in  IRC:  SP:21-2009  guidelines.  The plantations are being done every year by way of Annual Plantation Action Plan.  So far 469.75 lakh saplings have been planted by NHAI in avenues and medians of National Highways during the period 2015-16 to 2024-25.
- (b)  There is no exclusive scheme of the Government of India for plantation of trees along the Narmada River. However, the Government of India provides funds to the States/UTs for afforestation under several schemes e.g. CAMPA, MISHTI, Nagar Van, etc., in addition to  the  State  budget  allocations,  for  carrying  out  plantations  including  along  the  river banks including Narmada. An amount of Rs. 70 crore under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has been approved for implementation of 'Aviral Nirmal Narmada' in Madhya Pradesh for plantation on 5,600 ha of land along the Narmada River.
- (c) The  Government  has  been  undertaking  a  number  of  steps  to  protect  the  environment through  reducing  emissions,  combat  land  degradation,  restore  ecosystems  and  enrich biodiversity as part of its holistic approach to conservation.. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides the overarching framework, supported by missions like  Green  India  for  enhancing  carbon  sinks  and  restoring  degraded  ecosystems.

Renewable  energy  expansion  reduces  fossil  fuel dependence,  while  the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), guides conservation of ecosystems and land  restoration.  Soil  health  is  promoted  through  sustainable  practices  and  soil  health cards. Afforestation is undertaken under Nagar Van Yojana, CAMPA etc, while wildlife conservation is supported through species specific projects like Project Tiger and Project Elephant  and  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme,  Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife Habitat.  Wetland  and  coastal  ecosystem  restoration,  including  mangrove  restoration under  Mangrove  Initiative  for  Shoreline  Habitats  &  Tangible  Incomes  (MISHTI), contributes to biodiversity and climate resilience. Additional efforts include the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for air quality improvement and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for waste management and circular economy promotion. The ' Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign has led to 142 crore saplings planted by  March  2025.  Protected  areas  have  increased  to  1,022,  including  220  community reserves, 57 tiger reserves, and 33 elephant reserves. Forest and tree cover spans 25.17% of the country's area, with a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent created. Environmental  protection  and  management  is  thus  achieved  through  a  multi-pronged approach involving  legislative,  regulatory and  administrative  measures  which  integrate climate action, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration.

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