Question : Decline in Forest Area

(a) whether the forest covered area of the country is decreasing continuously and rapidly;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken by the Government to tackle it;
(c) whether the Government proposes to engage and increase the role of private sector in order to increase and conserve forest areas of the country by involving private land;
(d) if so, the details of such schemes being implemented in the country along with the policies/guidelines in this regard, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan;
(e) the details of funds allocated and assistance provided to States for increasing the forest area, along with the success achieved therein during the last three years, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to provide concession in taxes and compensation to those people who develop forests on large areas of private land and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b) Forest cover in country is increasing. There is an increase of 13,209 square kilometer of forest and tree cover at the national level in the ISFR-2019 as compared to the ISFR- 2015. Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially since 1987 and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The forest cover assessment is a wall-to-wall mapping exercise based on remote sensing supported by intensive ground verification and field data from National Forest Inventory. As per ISFR 2019, the total forest and tree cover of the country is 8,07,276 square kilometers which is 24.56 % of the geographical area of the country. The State/UTs wise details of forest and tree cover as per ISFR-2019 is given in Annexure-I.

The State/UTs wise details of change in forest and tree cover as compared with ISFR-2019 and ISFR-2015 is given in Annexure-II.



(c), (d) & (e) Private Sector is taking up afforestation programme on areas outside forests, largely in partnership with farmers and other land owners. The National Forest Policy, 1988 provides that as far as possible, a forest-based industry should raise the raw material needed for meeting its own requirements, preferably by establishment of a direct relationship between the factory and the individuals who can grow the raw material by supporting the individuals with inputs including credit, constant technical advice and finally harvesting and transport services.

Further, various schemes are being implemented by Central and State Government/Union Territory (UT) Administration for improvement of forest cover in 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/schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Compensatory Afforestation Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). In addition State and UT Government also implement various schemes of afforestation. The State /UT-wise details of fund released under National Afforestation Programme, Green India Mission and Compensatory Afforestation Funds for the last three years are given in Annexure-III, IV and V.

(f) At present, there is no proposal to provide concession in taxes and compensation to those people who develop forests on large areas of private land.


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