(a) whether the Government is contemplating to increase forest area across the country, if so, the details thereof including Gujarat;
(b) whether as the Forest Survey of India, non forest areas have been selected for plantation in India resulting in increase in the forest area, if so, the details thereof during the last five years; and
(c) the steps being taken/likely to be taken by the Government to increase the forest area in the country including Gujarat?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) to (c) As per the National Forest Policy, 1988, a minimum of one-third of the total land area of the country should be brought under forest or tree cover. Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the assessment of forest and tree cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The total forest and tree cover of the country, as per the ISFR 2019 is 8,07,276 km2 which is 24.56% of the total geographical area of the country. This is an increase of 5,188 km2 as compared to that of Forest and Tree Cover (FTC) in ISFR-2017, and 13,029 km2 as compared to FTC in ISFR, 2015.
To increase the forest and tree cover further in the country including State of Gujarat, Ministry has been taking several initiatives. These include Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as National Afforestation Programme, National Mission for a Green India and Development of Wildlife Habitats. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018 also contain provisions for taking up assisted natural regeneration, artificial regeneration and silvicultural operations in forests which contribute to increase in forest cover. Afforestation and tree planting activities, including non-forest areas, are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and under the schemes/plans of States and Union Territories (UTs).
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