MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a)& (b) No, Madam. As per the latest India State of Forest Report i.e. ISFR-2017 published by Forest
Survey of India, Dehradun, a subordinate organization under the Ministry, the total forest and tree cover in the country is 8,02,088 square kilometers (forest cover 708273 square kilometer, tree cover 93815 square kilometer) which is 24.39% of the geographical area of the country. There is an increase of 8021 square kilometer (forest cover 6778 square kilometer, tree cover 1243 square kilometer) of total forest and tree cover compared to that of ISFR-2015.
(c) To further increase the forest cover in the country, afforestation programmes are being taken up under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as National Afforestation Programme (NAP) and Green India Mission (GIM) being implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Compensatory Afforestation Fund.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight Missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to Climate Change. GIM activities were started in the Financial Year 2015-16. This scheme is being implemented by State Governments through the State Forest Development Agencies, Gram Panchayat/Gram Sabha and the various Committees set up at village level. National Afforestation Programme (NAP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests and adjoining areas through people’s participation in the country.
(d) The Ministry recognizes the fact that publicity and awareness program for general public is important for conservation of forests in the country. Many forestry schemes of Central and State Government have an inbuilt component of publicity and awareness generation. Every State Government has a separate publicity and extension wing to carry out awareness campaigns to educate people regarding conservation of forests. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also has a Central Sector Scheme namely Environment Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT). The scheme aims to promote environmental awareness amongst school and college level students across the county.
(e) Development and conservation of forests is primarily the responsibility of the State/UTs Government. Forests are managed according to the working plan approved by the Ministry.
Government of India has taken the following steps for growth and progress of Forest Based Industries:-
(i) Ministry of Agriculture had formulated the National Agroforestry Policy 2014 with the objectives inter-alia to meet the raw material requirements of wood based industries and reduce import of wood and wood products to save foreign exchange.
(ii) Ministry has issued suggestive guidelines for felling and transit regulation for tree species grown on non-forest private land with an aim to create conducive environment, which encourages the individuals to adopt farm/agro/homestead forestry.
(iii) The Ministry has issued Wood Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016 and these guidelines were subsequent amended in 2017 to decentralize the regulatory processes concerning the wood based industries for the development of the sector in the country.
The Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute (IPIRTI), Bangalore institute under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change conduct training in connection with forest product utilization for plywood industry and trade and allied industries. It is also imparting technical education and/or training at undergraduate, postgraduate, and/or any other level in technology of agro and forests products, adhesives and laminates, and/or synthetic finishing, manufacturing machinery. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun is also conducting training for skill development. In order to train youth in environment, forest and wildlife sectors and enable them to be gainfully employed/ self-employed, MoEF&CC has launched a Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) in June, 2017 on a pilot basis.
The programme is now being scaled up to an all India level. More than 30 skilling programmes are being conducted during 2018-19, covering diverse fields such as pollution monitoring (air/ water/ soil), Sewage Treatment Plants (STP)/Effluent Treatments Plants (ETP) /Common and Combined Effluent Treatment Plants operation (CETP), waste management, forest management, water budgeting & auditing, conservation of river dolphins, wildlife management, para taxonomy, including PBRs, mangroves conservation, bamboo management and livelihood generation.
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