Lok Sabha Question No. 79 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: India's Ranking in Forest Area
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane, Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  79

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## India's Ranking in Forest Area

## 79.   SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE: SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO:

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

- (a) whether it is true that India has been ranked ninth country in the world in terms of total forest area by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in its Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  India's  total  forest  cover  as  per  the  said  assessment  and  its comparison with the previous report;
- (c) the extent to which 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative by the Prime Minister has been successful in increasing the forest area in the country since the beginning of the said initiative; and
- (d) the  details  of  other  major  initiatives  and  schemes/programmes  implemented/being implemented by the Government to increase green cover in the country during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (b)  As  per  the  United  Nations  Food  and  Agriculture  Organisation's  Global  Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 , released  on  22  October 2025,  India has been ranked ninth in the world in terms of total forest area. This marks an improvement from the previous assessment, in which India was ranked tenth.

Further,  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  exercise  based  on  remote sensing supported by intensive  ground verification and field data from the National  Forest Inventory. As per ISFR 2023, the total forest and tree cover of the country is 8,27,356.95 square kilometer which is 25.17% of the geographical area of the country.

(c) to (d)   A plantation campaign ' एक पेड़ म ाँ क े न म #Plant4Mother' has 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  large  scale  plantation  aiding  the enhancement of green cover in the country.

In  addition,  the  Ministry  provides  technical  and  financial  support  to  the  States  /UTs  for protection, conservation and management of forests in the country. This includes funds from the Central Government under various schemes and programmes such as National Mission for a  Green  India  (GIM),  Forest  Fire  Prevention  and  Management  Scheme  (FPM), Nagar Van Yojana  (NVY),  Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats  and  Mangrove  Initiative  for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI). Afforestation is also carried out by the States/UTs under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).  The funds provided under the various schemes support the efforts of States and Union Territories to enhance forest and tree cover through ecological restoration measures such as afforestation within and outside forest areas, forest landscape restoration, habitat improvement, soil and water conservation, protection activities, and other related interventions.

****