(a) whether the Government has formulated any policy for the use of drones and Artificial Intelligence in increasing the tree cover of the country, if so, the details thereof; and
(b) the steps taken by the Government to incentivise States like Telangana which are at the forefront of using modern day technologies to increase the area under forest cover?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) National Forest Policy, 1988 (NFP, 1988) lays emphasis on management of forests and tree cover of the country on scientific lines.
Forest Survey of India (FSI), an organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out biennial mapping and assessment of forest and tree cover using satellite based remote sensing data and intensive ground truthing. The findings are published in the India State of Forest Reports (ISFRs). FSI, Dehradun, also disseminates real-time satellite-based forest fire alerts to State/UT Forest Departments and other registered mobile users whenever forest fires are detected.
Further FSI has initiated exercise for standardizing use of Drones in forest boundary demarcation on pilot basis. Concurrently, training programmes have also been organized for State Forest Departments (SFDs) to building capacity in use of drones in forest management.
(b) FSI is providing assistance to States including Telangana Forest Department in capacity building of use of remote sensing, GIS, forest inventory, preparation of working plan, forest carbon accounting etc
Further the Ministry provides funds to States/UTs including Telangana under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes for protection and conservation of forests which also includes components on research and use of improved technology for measures related to protection and increase in forest and tree cover, treatment of degraded lands, etc. These include 3% of sanctioned amount for short term research and survey on forest fire prevention and management related issues under Forest Fire Prevention and Management (FPM) Scheme; 25% of Planting cost on use of improved technology under National Afforestation Programme (NAP) and 2% of approved cost norms for research under Green India Mission (GIM).
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