(a) whether Jhuming Cultivation is still in practice in the country;
(b) if so, the details and the names of the States thereof;
(c) whether there is an environmental effect due to this practice; and
(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government to redress the situation?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Jhum Cultivation is a primitive practice of cultivation in the States of North Eastern Region and eastern parts of the country. As per Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), about 14.66 lakh ha. areas are affected by Shifting Cultivation mainly in seven states of North Eastern Region namely; Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
(c): Shifting cultivation has an adverse effect on environment because its unsustainable in nature.
(d): Ministry of Environment and Forests provide funds for rehabilitation of forest areas degraded due to Shifting Cultivation, besides promoting agroforestry based cropping models for rehabilitation of areas affected by shifting cultivation in non forest land under National Afforestation Programme (NAP).