Question : Decrease in Forest Cover

(a) whether the forest cover in the country is in a State of continuous decline;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to include private sector in the task of increasing forest area including preservation and conservation offorests by promoting afforestation in private lands and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to provide tax rebate and compensation to the people who offer their lands for afforestation under the said scheme;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the steps taken by the Government to increase forest cover in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) & (b) No Sir, there is no decline in the forest cover in the country. As per latest India State of Forest Report -2019 prepared by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, the total forest and tree cover of the country is 8, 07,276 square kilometre (km2), which is 24.56% of the total geographical area of the country. It comprises of 7, 12,249 km2of Forest Cover, and 95,027 km2of Tree Cover. The ISFR 2019 shows an increase of 5,188km2(forest cover 3,976 km2 and tree cover 1,212 km2) over that of ISFR 2017.

(c) The National Forest Policy, 1988 encourages planting of the trees in the unutilized lands under State/Corporate, Institutional orPrivate ownership. For this the National Forest Policy, 1988 provides that technical assistance and other inputs areto be provided by the Government.The policy provides that land laws should be so modified wherever necessary so as to facilitate and motivate individuals and institutions to undertake tree-farming and grow fodder plants, grasses and legumes on their own land. Further, degraded lands should be made available for this purpose subject to the land grant rules and land ceiling laws.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing National Agroforestry Policy 2014 with the objectives to encourage and expand tree plantation in complementarity and integrated manner with crops and livestock to improve productivity, employment, income and livelihoods of rural households, especially the small holder farmers.

(d) & (e) There is no such proposal.

(f) Various schemes are being implemented by Central and State Government for increase in forest cover of the country. These include 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, PradhanMantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana, Compensatory Afforestation Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Afforestation activities are also taken up under various schemes of State Government /UT Administration.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is also implementing National Agroforestry Policy 2014 with an objective to meet the demand of timber, food, fuel, fodder, fertilizer, fibre and other agroforestry products, conserving the natural resources and forest; protecting the environment & providing environmental security; and increasing the forest/tree cover. Also, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo.

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