Lok Sabha Question No. 251 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Conservation of Biosphere Reserves
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BAIJAYANT "JAY" PANDA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*251

TO BE ANSEWERED ON 15.03.2016

## Conservation of Biosphere Reserves

## *251    SHRI BAIJAYANT JAY PANDA

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

- (a) the  details  of  biosphere  reserves  notified  in  the  country  along  with  the  assistance, financial or otherwise provided by the Government for the protection and conservation of wildlife and livelihood of the local inhabitants during each of the last three years and the current year, biosphere reserve and State- wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  not  been  able  to  release  funds  in  favour  of  certain biosphere reserves including Similipal Biosphere Reserve in Odisha during the said period;
- (c) if  so,  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  steps  being  taken  for  release  of  funds expeditiously; and
- (d) the  measures  taken  to  ensure  that  the  protection  and  conservation  of  wildlife  and livelihood  of  the  local  inhabitants  in  the  said  biosphere  reserves  are  not  adversely affected due to lack of/non-release of funds?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI   PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (d ) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Question  No.*251  on 'CONSERVATION OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES' raised by SHRI BAIJAYANT JAY PANDA to be answered on 15.03.2016.

- (a) Yes, Sir.
- (a) There  are  18  Biospheres  Reserves  designated  in  the  country  since  1986.  Details  of financial assistance provided by the Government in the last three years and the current year is given below:

(

in lakhs)

`

| Sl. NO .   | NAME OF STATE     | NAME OF BIOSPHERE RESERVE   | 2012-13                  | 2013-14     | 2014-15   | 2015-16   |
|------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|--------------------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|
| 1          | Uttarakhand       | Nanda Devi                  | --                       |             |           |           |
| 2          | Tamil Nadu        | Nilgiri                     | --                       | 15.225      | 50.00     |           |
|            |                   | Gulf of Mannar              | --                       | 29.53 (rev. |           |           |
|            |                   | Agasthyarmalai              |                          | 80.00       | 80.00     |           |
| 3.         | West Bengal       | Sunderbans                  | 80.00                    | 50.00       | 73.81     | 99.20     |
| 4.         | Karnataka         | Nilgiri                     | --                       |             |           |           |
| 5.         | Kerala            | Nilgiri                     | 7.88 (second inst.)      | 80.00       | 100.00    |           |
|            |                   | Agasthyarmalai              | 61.03                    | 79.98       | 100.00    |           |
| 6.         | A& N Islands      | Great Nicobar               | 15.00                    | 19.70       |           | 25.00     |
| 7.         | Odisha            | Similipal                   | 65.00 (rev.)             |             |           |           |
| 8.         | Assam             | Dibrusaikhowa               | 40.00 (rev.)             |             |           |           |
|            |                   | Manas                       | 60.46 (Rev. From 10- 11) |             |           | 88.70     |
| 9.         | Meghalaya         | Nokrek                      | 39.85                    |             | 150.00    |           |
| 10.        | Sikkim            | Khangchendzonga             | 25.00                    | 100.00      | 71.05     | 37.65     |
| 11.        | Arunachal Pradesh | Dehang Dibang               | --                       |             |           | 48.64     |
| 12.        | Madhya            | Pachmarhi                   | --                       |             |           |           |
|            | Pradesh           | Achanakmar- Amarkantak      | --                       |             |           | 49.02     |
|            |                   | Panna                       |                          |             |           |           |
| 13.        | Chhattisgarh      | Achanakmar-                 | 45.44                    | 149.75      | 100.00    | 76.16     |

|       |                  | Amarkantak      |        |        |              |        |
|-------|------------------|-----------------|--------|--------|--------------|--------|
| 14.   | Gujarat          | Gulf of Kachchh | 70.00  |        |              |        |
| 15.   | Andhra Pradesh   | Seshachalam     |        | 20.00  | 20.00 (rev.) |        |
| 16.   | Himachal Pradesh | Cold Desert     |        |        | 81.48        |        |
| Total | Total            | Total           | 344.20 | 594.67 | 806.34       | 424.37 |

- (b)& (c) The Government could not release funds in favour of six Biosphere Reserves i.e. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (Uttarakhand), Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserves(Tamil  Nadu),  Nilgiri  Biosphere  Reserve  (Karnataka),  Similipal  Biosphere Reserve (Odisha), Dibru saikhowa (Assam), Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) during the last three years and the current year due to non-submission of requisite documents. In case of Similipal Biosphere Reserves, Rs. 65 lakhs were revalidated from 2011-12 to 2012-13. Funds for 2015-16 for this Biosphere Reserve could not be released due to non-submission of Progress Report as per the guidelines.
- (d) Besides Biosphere Reserves, there are other complementary schemes like Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, Project Tiger, Project Elephant and Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) wherein activities like providing safe drinking water, supply of improved chullah, LPG, Solar cookers, apiculture,  sericulture  and  pisciculture,  promoting  community  based  ecotourism programme etc. are taken  up.  Moreover,  activities  which  cannot  be  completed  in  a particular year are carried forward to the next financial year.

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