(a) whether the Government has targeted to increase the forest area in Jharkhand upto 33 percent of the total area of the State;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to set up a specific institute for carrying out study and research on forests and managing forest resources in the State; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) & (b) Forest Survey of India, Dehradun carries out the assessment of forest cover of the Country after every two years and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report. The latest report in the series is India State of Forest Report- 2015. As per this report, the total forest and tree cover in the State of Jharkhand is 26,261 square kilometers which is 32.94 percent of the total geographical area of the State. National Forest Policy, 1988 prescribes that a minimum of one-third of the total land area of the country should be under forest or tree cover to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance including atmospheric equilibrium which are vital for sustenance of all lifeforms, human, animal and plant.
(c) & (d) There is no proposal to set up any specific institute for carrying out study and research on forests and managing forest resources in the State of Jharkhand.
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