(a) whether the Government proposes to amend the existing forest policy to make it more pro-public and eco-friendly;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof; and
(c) the time by which the said amendments are likely to be incorporated in the extant forest policy?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) to (c) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had prepared the Draft National Forest Policy, 2018 for revising existing national Forest Policy, 1988. After an exhaustive and wide consultation processes with all major stakeholders and incorporating their feedbacks, the Draft National Forest Policy, 2019 has been prepared. The basic thrust of the Draft National Forest Policy, 2019 is conservation, protection and management of forests along with safeguarding the interest of tribals and forest dependent people.
No time has been set to adoption of new National Forest Policy. As of now the existing National Forest Policy, 1988 is in operation.
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