a) the funds allocated for promoting issues relating to environment in the country during the last three years, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh;
b) whether the Government proposes to formulate any consolidated plan for the development of tourism in forest areas of the country, especially in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh;
c) if so, the details thereof; and
d) the other steps taken for conservation of forest in the said States?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) The details of funds released for promoting issues relating to environment in the country during the last three years, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are as given in Annexure.
(b) & (c) The MoEFCC has prepared a draft ‘Policy on Ecotourism in Forest and Wildlife areas’ with the main objective of adopting low impact nature tourism which ensures ecological integrity, through engaging local communities. The emphasis of the eco-tourism policy is on Community participation. People living in and around Protected Areas and other forest areas are to be involved in eco-tourism activities, through imparting necessary skills, including through ‘Green Skill Development’, which would eventually enable the people to earn their livelihood from eco-tourism activities.
(d) For conservation of forest, afforestation programmes are being taken up under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the country, including State of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, such as National Afforestation Programme (NAP) and Green India Mission (GIM) being implemented by the 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, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Compensatory Afforestation Funds (CAF) and under concerned State/UT schemes/plans. GIM aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to Climate Change. NAP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests and adjoining areas through people’s participation. To compensate the loss of forest for development works, compensatory afforestation is undertaken on non-forest land and degraded forest land from the funds collected from the user agencies and deposited in the CAF. In addition net present value of the forest land diverted is also deposited in CAF and utilized for additional afforestation and allied forestry activities for eco-restoration of the loss due to forest diversion.
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