Lok Sabha Question No. 2741 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Use of Satellites to Monitor Mountain Vegetation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Anil Yeshwant Desai, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  2741

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

## Use of Satellites to Monitor Mountain Vegetation

## 2741. SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV: SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:

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

- (a) whether it is true that the satellites are being used to monitor mountain vegetation in the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the mountains along with the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has any data regarding the loss of mountain vegetation;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether any suggestions have been issued to the concerned State/UT Government by the Central Government regarding reforestation of such mountains?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a)  to  (d)  Forest  Survey  of  India  (FSI),  Dehradun,  an  organization  under  the  Ministry  of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the assessment of forest and tree cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR).  The forest cover assessment is a wall to wall mapping exercised based on remote sensing supported by intensive ground verification and field data from the National Forest Inventory.

As per ISFR-2023, Forest cover in the hills districts of the country is 2,83,713.20 square kilometers, which is 40% of the total geographical area of these districts. Between ISFR 2021 and ISFR 2023, Forest Cover in hill districts of the country has increased by 234.14 square kilometer.

(e)  The  Ministry  provides  technical  and  financial  support  to  the  States  and  Union  Territories through various schemes and programmes of the Central Government for increasing forest and tree cover, including protection, conservation and sustainable management of forests in the country. These include, inter alia, the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), Compensatory  Afforestation  Fund  Management  and  Planning  Authority  (CAMPA),  Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, and forest fire prevention and management schemes.

In addition, States and Union Territories implement State-specific afforestation, reforestation and forest  conservation  schemes in  accordance  with  their  ecological,  climatic  and  geographic conditions.

Further, a plantation campaign ' एक पेड़ माँ क े नाम #Plant 4 Mother' has also been launched on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024 and in the current year also to undertake plantation

- activities across the country.  This campaign follows the 'Whole of Government' and 'Whole of Society'  approach  with  participation  of  all  stakeholders  for  increasing  the  green  cover  in  the country. The campaign has contributed to large scale plantation aiding the enhancement of green cover in the country.
- *******