(a) whether the Government proposes to promote plantation in various metropolitan cities of the country through recognized Non-Governmental Organisations under social forestry schemes;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of the various initiatives started by the Government for protection and development of forests in various metropolitian cities of the country?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) & (b) Yes Sir. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change encourages plantation in the country including various metropolitan cities through programmes and schemes such as Nagar Van Yojana, School Nursery Yojana, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), National Mission for a Green India (GIM), etc. which promotes urban forestry, tree plantation on vacant lands and bunds on farm lands etc. by involving local communities, NGOs, educational institutions, local bodies, etc.
(c) The following steps taken by the Government contribute to protection and development of forest areas in the country including in the metropolitan cities:
i. For preservation and protection of forest & wildlife, various laws including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and other central/state laws as applicable to a State/UT, are implemented by the respective State Government /UT Administration. The Ministry also provides financial supports to the States /UTs under Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme for protection against forest fire.
ii. The MoEFCC is implementing 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), under which in addition to other sub-missions, there is a specific sub-mission for enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. An area over 2 million hectare was sanctioned for taking up afforestation in the States/Union Territories (UTs) with an investment of about Rs. 3896 crores till 2019-20 under NAP since its launching year 2000 and under GIM an amount of about Rs. 343 crore has been released to States/UTs since 2015-16 to 2019-20.
iii. The MoEFCC encourages plantation/ afforestation through people’s participation under Nagar Van Yojana(NVY) and School Nursery Yojana. The total estimated cost for creation of 200 Nagar Vans under Nagar Van Yojna is Rs.415.00 crore for the period of 2020-21 to 2024-25.
iv. Urban forestry is a permissible activity under the provisions of Compensatory Fund Act, 2016 and the Rules made thereunder. The Government of India has disbursed an amount of Rs. 47,872.31 crore from National Fund to 30 State funds as share of respective States as per Compensatory Fund Act, 2016.
v. As per information received from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), 1776 No. of parks over 3500 acres of land have been developed in the Mission cities.
vi. Further, tree plantation, being a multi-departmental, multi-agency activity, are also being taken up cross-sectorally under various programmes/funding sources of other ministries/ organizations and also through State Plan budgets.
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