(a) the share of forest area out of total geographical area of Gujarat at present;
(b) the mandated forest area as per the various guidelines laid down in this regard;
(c) whether Surat and Mandvi districts of Gujarat have the forest area required as per the guidelines; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) As per information provided by State Forest Department of Gujarat, the total recorded forest area in Gujarat State is 21859.22 square kilometre (km2) out of total geographical area 196,244 km2.
(b) 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 Gujarat, as per the ISFR 2019 is 21,769 km2 which is 11.09% of the total geographical area of the State.
(c)& (d) As per ISFR-2019, the total forest cover of Surat district is 500.06 km2 which is 10.99% of the total geographical area of the district. The forest cover is reported in the ISFRs upto district level in terms of administrative units.
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 of other ministries, 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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