(a) the present status of forest cover in the country, State-wise;
(b) whether there has been a rise in the unauthorised felling of trees in the country
during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor;
(d) the funds sanctioned, released and incurred for the purpose during the said period; and
(e) the action taken / being taken by the Government to conserve the forest cover and further
afforestation in the country?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)
(a)to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 250 by
Shri P. Karunakaran and Dr. Ratna De (Nag) due for reply on 12.12.2011.
(a) Forest cover of the States / UTs as per ‘India State of Forest Report 2009’ published
by Forest Survey of India is given in Annexure - I.
(b) No Sir. The Ministry has not received information regarding rise in the unauthorized
felling of trees in the country.
(c) The details of the unauthorized felling of trees in various States as per information
available in this Ministry from 2007-08 to 2009-10 is given at Annexure II. Major reasons for
unauthorized tree felling are felling trees for use and sale as timber, clearing forest land
for unauthorized cultivation and for use as fire wood.
(d) The details of the funds released as grant-in-aid for strengthening of forest
protection infrastructure, fire protection, demarcation of forest boundaries, construction of
facilities for frontline staff, communication etc. under Intensification of Forest Management
Scheme (IFMS) during the year 2008-09 to 2011-12 to various States is given at Annexure – III.
(e) Besides supporting forest protection measures under Intensification of Forest
Management Schemes (IFMS) as indicated in part (d) above, the Ministry of Environment and
Forests is providing funds to the States under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National
Afforestation Programme (NAP) for regeneration of degraded forests and adjoining areas through
people’s participation in the country. The State-wise details of funds released to the States
under the National Afforestation Programme Scheme during last three years (2008-09 to 2010-11)
are given at Annexure - IV.
Besides National Afforestation Programme, various Central Schemes / Programmes
like Thirteenth Finance Commission Grants for conservation and development of forests, Mahatma
Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) and State Schemes have component of
afforestation / tree planting.