Lok Sabha Question No. 1275 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Community Driven Initiatives for Environmental Protection
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1275

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## Community Driven Initiatives for Environmental Protection

## 1275.   SHRI EATALA RAJENDER :

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

- (a) the details of community-driven initiatives aimed at creating a cleaner and greener cities and towns to encourage citizens to come together to make a difference;
- (b) whether as part of the campaign, BIG FM hosted the BIG ECO Carnivals at Beaches which drew a large and enthusiastic crowd while campaign efforts reached lakhs of people with messages on environmental protection;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof along with the  details  of upcoming efforts including beautifying streets, renovating public toilets, and painting murals across cities / towns; and
- (d) the details of the funds sanctioned and utilised in this regard during the last five years?

## ANSWER

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

(a) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  undertaken  several community-driven  initiatives  to  promote  cleaner  and  greener  cities  and  towns  under  various schemes  and  campaign.  The  major  schemes  include  the  Nagar  Van  Yojana  (NVY)  for developing  forest/green spaces  in  urban  and  peri-urban  areas;  and  the  School  Nursery  Yojana (SNY), which engages students in understanding the importance of plants and is implemented in recognized public and private schools. So far 620 nos. of Nagar Vans are established in 28 States and 3 UTs across the country.

'Ek  Ped  Maa  Ke  Naam' campaign has  been  launched on  the  occasion of  World Environment Day  2024  and  extensive  plantation  have  been  undertaken  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 recorded successful plantation of more than 261 crores saplings on MeriLife portal by the State Forest Departments along  with  partner  Ministries  out  of  which  more  than  45  crore  saplings  are  planted  in  urban areas.

The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), New Delhi, along with its Regional Centres undertake various community-driven initiatives to promote cleanliness, environmental awareness and citizen participation for creating a cleaner and greener surroundings. As part of Swachhata Pakhwada  and  Swachhata  Hi  Seva,  NMNH  conducts  cleanliness  drives  in  public  areas  with participation  of  students,  NGOs  and  local  communities.  Awareness  activities  such  as  nature walks, talks, film shows, painting and slogan-writing competitions, Nukkad Natak performances waste  segregation  are  organised  to  encourage  responsible  waste  management.  Further,  under Mission  LiFE  (Lifestyle  for  Environment)'Green  Talk'  sessions,  workshops  and  outreach programmes to promote sustainable lifestyles and motivate collective citizen action for cleaner and  greener  cities  and  towns.  So  far  03  campaigns  are  conducted  during  this  year  across  the country.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, celebrated World Environment Day 2025  at  Bharat  Mandapam,  New  Delhi,  on  5th  June  2025,  with  the  slogan  'One  Nation,  One Mission: End Plastic Pollution'. As part of one month long pre-campaign activities undertaken before World Environment Day 2025, around 69,000 events were organized in which around 21 lakh people participated across the country. The National Plastic Pollution Reduction Campaign (NPPRC)  was  also  launched  for  the  period  5th  June  to  31st  October  2025.  The  Campaign included activities to reduce plastic pollution in urban and rural areas under Swachhta Hi Sewa programme. The activities also included focus on reducing use of avoidable single use plastics in government offices especially during Special Campaign 5.0.

In partnership with Department of School Education & Literacy and UNICEF YuWaah, the EWaste  Awareness  and  Reduction  Campaign  was  organized  in  13  cities  across  Tamil  Nadu, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh engaged 70,000 students in 632 government schools through 65 virtual workshops and school-based collection drives, resulting in the safe recycling of 4,950 kg of e-waste.

The  ministry  also  facilitated  youth  engagement  in  promoting  Mission  LiFE  through  a  10-day Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) on MYBharat platform, offering hands-on learning and community engagement. The participants undertook several Do-It-Yourself activities understanding  the  seven  themes  of  Mission  LiFE  alongwith  a  orientation  session  on  Mission LiFE  held  at  the  office  premises  of  UNICEF    India.  Further,  so  far  more  than  6  Crore participants participated in 33.17 lakhs LiFE related activities.

Under Swachh Bharat Mission the Swachhta Action Plan (SAP) is an inter-Ministerial initiative of Government of India, which started in the year 2017-18 by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation  (DDWS),  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  (MoJS).  The  scope  of  SAP  implementation  by MoEFCC currently includes building of bio-toilets at National Parks and Sanctuaries to educate visitors  regarding  Cleanliness.  The  SAP  has  been  mainstreamed  under  the  Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity building and livelihood Programme of the Scheme 'Environment Education, Awareness, Research and Skill Development'.

(b)&(c) Big  FM  has  not  hosted  any  beach  cleaning  campaign  or  BIG  ECO  Carnivals organised  by  MoEFCC.  However,  MoEFCC  has  organized  beach  cleaning  campaign  in collaboration with Coastal State Governments covering more than 80 beaches in past last 3 years to  sensitize  the  coastal  communities  and  beach  users.  These  campaigns  has  seen  active participation  from  the  students  of  nearby  schools  and  colleges,  NCC  and  NSC  cadets,  Coast Guard  personnel,  NGOs/CSOs  (Civil  Society  Organisations)  and  Public  representatives  and general public. A total of 13 nos. of blue flag beaches are marked across the country.

The  Ministry  implements  Environment  Education  Programme  (EEP)  with  an  objective  to sensitize  children/  youth,  on  issues  related  to  environment  and  to  motivate  them  to  adopt sustainable  lifestyle,  through  a  range  of  pedagogical  initiatives  such  as  workshops,  projects, exhibitions,  campaign,  competitions,  nature  camps,  summer  vacation  programmes,  etc.    The programme is implemented in schools and colleges through eco-clubs with an aim to supplement the knowledge that the students gain from classrooms with experience from nature and hands-on activities.  The  detail  activities  undertaken  include  beach  clean-up  drives,  waste-segregation demonstrations, awareness sessions on circular economy  practices, cultural programmes promoting  environmental  stewardship,  beautification  of  streets  and  public  spaces  through community  art  projects,  renovation  and  upgradation  of  public  toilets  to  improve  hygiene  and accessibility, Painting of murals, installation of street art, and creation of green corridors.

(d) An  amount  of  Rs.  50784.64  crores  has  been  released  under  Nagar  van  Yojana  since 2020-21 & Rs.7.38 crores for School Nursery Yojana.

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