(a) whether the Government has any scheme to encourage teak plantations;
(b) if so, the details thereof ; and
(c) the estimated area of land under teak cultivation in the country?
(a) whether the Government has any scheme to encourage teak plantations;
(b) if so, the details thereof ; and
(c) the estimated area of land under teak cultivation in the country?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a)to (c) The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) does not have any specific scheme to encourage teak plantations. However, this Ministry is implementing National Afforestation Programme (NAP) Scheme for regeneration of degraded forests and adjoining areas in the country. The scheme is implemented through a decentralized mechanism of State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at State level, Forest Development Agency (FDA) at Forest Division level and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at village level. Since the inception of this programme in the year 2000, Rs. 3399.85 crores has been released for treating an area of 20.71 lakh hectares.
The NAP scheme provides for seven different models of plantations with mixed species. The tree species to be planted is selected by members of JFMC on the basis of their needs, ecological conditions and other local factors in consultation with the State Forest Department. The native forestry species are encouraged for plantation in the forest areas giving special importance to trees with multiple uses including teak.