(a) whether the Government is aware that plantation is necessary for the protection of environment as well as for water harvesting;
(b) if so, whether the Union Government provides any financial assistance to the States to carry out plantation programme;
(c) if so, extent thereof and if not the reasons therefor; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to run plantation programme in the entire country on the lines of Bihar, if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) Yes Sir, tree plantation is necessary for protection of environment as well as for water harvesting. Forests and trees are important for maintaining hydrological cycle as they help in recharging the aquifers, reduce runoff, and maintain flow of water in rivers and streams. Tree plantations also help in reducing global warming by absorbing the greenhouse gases, checks soil erosion, aids pollution reduction and maintains biodiversity and ecological balances.
(b) to (d) Government provides financial support to various States/UTs to take up tree plantation programmes. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changeimplements two major afforestation schemes namely National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for tree plantation in degraded forests through people’s participation and National Mission for a Green India (GIM), for plantation on landscape basis. An area over 2 million hectare was sanctioned for afforestation with an investment of about Rs.3874 crore under NAP since its launching year 2000. Under GIM, an amount of about Rs. 300 crore has been released for preparation of bridge plan and implementation of perspective plan since 2011-12 to 2018-19.In the current financial year an amount of Rs. 128 crores has been and released to various States for taking up plantation under NAP and GIM.The state-wise details of total funds provided under NAP and GIM during the last three years is given in Annexure-I.
In addition, this Ministry also encourages plantation/afforestation through people’s movement under School Nursery Yojana and Nagar Van UdyanYojana. An amount of Rs.1.54 crore (for 505 school nurseries)andRs. 51.24 crore (for 46 Nagar Van Udyans) respectively have been released under the schemes.
Besides, the funds collected under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), as compensatory levies from states inter-alia, is also used in regeneration of forests/afforestation activity including compensatory afforestation by States/UTs. Government of India has disbursed an amount of Rs.47,436crore from National Fund to 27 State funds as share of respective states as per Compensatory Fund Act, 2016.The State-wise details are given in Annexure-II.
Further, tree plantation, being a multi-departmental, multi-agency activity, are also being taken up cross-sectorallyunder various programmes/funding sources of other ministries such as MGNREGA, PradhanMantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana(PMKSY), Agro-forestry Mission, National Bamboo Mission and also through State Plan budget.
Besides tree plantation/afforestation schemes of the central Government, various State governmentsincluding Bihar, implement their own specific tree plantation programmesbased on need and budget availability. These includesmass plantation drive involving public participation, theme based plantation, externally aided projects, etc.
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