(a) the reasons for leaving Madhya Pradesh and sanctioning only 35 projects out of present 523 projects for Forests Development at national level though the State of Madhya Pradesh has 25 percent forest cover;
(b) the number of projects pending clearance of Government under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 pertaining to Madhya Pradesh; and
(c) by when these projects are likely to be cleared?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS(SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) The Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for development of forests. NAP is implemented through Forest Development Agency (FDA) at the forest division level and Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) at the village level. 47 FDA project proposals have been submitted by the Madhya Pradesh state, and out of which 44 projects have been approved upto 31.3.2005 to treat a total area of 73,350 hectares through 1402 JFMCs at a total cost of Rs. 108.34 crore.
(b)&(c) 12 proposals received from Madhya Pradesh for forestry clearance, are under various stages of examination in the Ministry. The project proposals involving non-forestry use of forest lands, received from various states/ Union Territories (UTs) are examined according to the procedure prescribed under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003, and the guidelines issued from time to time thereunder. The whole examination and the decision on the proposal is a continuous process, for which Central Government has prescribed a time limit of 60 days for itself for processing and taking decision on the complete proposal, under the Rules.