(a) the number of districts where environment task force have been constituted in the country, State-wise;
(b) the works undertaken to improve environment so far and the achievements made in this regard;
(c) whether the Government have provided assistance to the States for the purpose;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether more districts are proposed to be included under the scheme;
(f) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
(g) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS(SHRI T. R. BAALU)
(a) to (g) No environment task force has been set up in the country by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. However, 4 Ecological Task Forces have been established which are currently operating in Dehradun (Uttar Pradesh), Pithoragarh (Uttar Pradesh), Mohangarh (Rajasthan) and Samba (Jammu and Kashmir). During 1997-2000 in the Ninth Plan, soil conservation measures and planting over 4,529 hectares of non-forest land have been carried out by these Ecological Task Forces for which expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Environment and Forests was Rs. 1683 lakhs. No financial assistance is provided to the States in this regard. Additional districts are not proposed to be covered under the scheme in the Ninth Plan due to budgetary constraints.