Lok Sabha Question No. 3783 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-09
Subject: Pasture Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. ASHOK KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3783

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2016

## Pasture Land

## 3783. SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

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

- (a) whether it is true that the Government is considering to allow people to cultivate fodder for cows in forest land;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has felt the need to preserve pasture land and setting aside some areas for growing good quality grass and fodder; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) to (b) The National Forest Policy, 1988 emphasises for a massive need-based and time bound programme of afforestation and tree planting, with particular emphasis on fuel-wood  and  fodder  development,  on  all  degraded  and  denuded  lands  in  the country, whether forest or non-forest land.

National Afforestation & Eco-development Board (NAEB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is implementing National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests.  The  scheme  is  implemented  in  participatory  mode  under  Joint  Forest Management (JFM) approach.  The scheme provides various models/components for eco-restoration, one of them being Development of Pasture/Silvi-pasture model which aims at increasing the fodder availability in the project area.  During last three  years  (2013-14  to  2015-16)  an  area  of  13013  ha.  has  been  approved  for Silvi-pasture Development.

## (c) & (d)

Further, MoEF&CC  has  also issued various advisories dated 25.04.2014, 27.06.2014  and  03.07.2014  to  the  States/UTs  for  taking  all  possible  steps  and contingency  measures  in  facilitating  and  improving  the  fodder  availability  from the  forests  and  common  lands  and  for  giving  greater  emphasis  to  plant  fodder species under pasture/silvi-pasture development programme of National Afforestation Programme to enhance the availability of fodder in drought affected areas.

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries  (DADF) , Government of India has taken necessary steps to increase fodder production in various part of the country by providing financial assistance to the States/UTs under  Centrally  Sponsored  National  Livestock  Mission  with  a  sub  mission  on Feed and Fodder Development.  The detailed components of the Sub-Mission are as under:

1. Fodder Production from Non-forest wasteland/ rangeland/ grassland/ nonarable land.
2. Fodder production from Forest land.
3. Fodder Seed Procurement/ Production & Distribution
4. Introduction  of Hand Driven Chaff-Cutter
5. Introduction of Power Driven Chaff-Cutter
6. Distribution  of  low  capacity,  tractor  mountable  Fodder  Block  Making units, has baling machines/ reapers/ forage harvesters
7. Establishment of silage making Units
8. Establishment of by-pass protein production unit
9. Establishment  of  Area  Specific  Mineral  Mixture  /Feed  Pelleting  /Feed Manufacturing Unit.
10. Establishment/modernization of Feed Testing Laboratories.

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