Question : Plant India Initiative

(a) whether the Government proposes to make Plant India initiative a national movement led by people, like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether State Governments have agreed to participate in the aforesaid scheme, if so, the details thereof along with the share of the State Governments therein;
(c) whether a number of developmental projects are pending for want of environmental clearance, if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
(d) the action taken by the Union Government to ensure that the environment is protected and development takes place?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) &(b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change does not implement any specific program by name of “Plant India initiative”. However, the Ministry has decided to make plantation a people’s movement through various programmes which will promote school nursery, urban forestry, planting trees on vacant lands, bunds on farm land etc. Involvement of people in different forestry management practices has been the priority of the Ministry. In consonance with the objective of the National Forest Policy, 1988 of taking up afforestation by creating a massive people’s movement, various schemes are being implemented by the Ministry and the State/UT governments with the participation of Joint Forest Management committees, comprising of local villagers and constituted in all States/ UTs. Tree Plantation/Afforestation activities are taken up cross-sectorally by various Departments, Non-Government Organizations, Civil Societies, Corporate bodies etc. In past the Ministry has also issued several advisories for involvement of people in various plantation programmes especially on occasions like Van Mahotsav, World Environment Day and World Forestry Day etc. Various states have also launched Mass Plantation Campaigns during the last five years especially since 2014-15, involving the civil society, farmers, school children and common citizens of the country.
(c) The state-wise details of number of developmental projects under process for environmental clearance are given in annexure.
(d) The Environmental Management Plan is reviewed and adequate mitigation measures are stipulated in the Environmental Clearance for balancing the environment due to impacts caused by the developmental projects.

Besides that for protection and conservation of environment, every year, all the States and Union Territory governments take up plantations under various central and state funded schemes. In addition plantations are also done by various departments, Non-government organizations, civil society, corporate bodies etc.


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