(a) whether the Government proposes to change the status of wasteland in the
forests to green land;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the problems being faced by the Government
in changing the status;and
(c) the time by which the Government is likely to change the status of
wasteland to green land?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS
(SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)
(a) to (c) The Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing National Afforestation Programme(NAP)
which is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme for tree plantation and eco-restoration of degraded forests
and adjoining areas of the country through people’s participation. An amount of Rs 3209.33crores has been
released till date to the States under NAP, to treat an area of 2 millionhectares since its inception in
2000-2002.Besides NAP, Ministry of Environment and Forestsis also implementing the National Mission
for Green India (GIM) on landscape approach with people’s participation, which envisages improvement in
quality of forest cover to the extent of 5 million hectare in the next 10 years alongwith increase in forest and
tree cover over another 5 million hectare of land mainly non-forest lands. Under GIMan amount of Rs.49.95crores
has been released to 21 States for carrying outpreparatory activities in 71 identified landscapes during 2011-12.
The State-wise details of funds released and approved area under NAP are given in Annexure-I and fund released
under GIM is given in Annexure-II. The major problems faced by Government in afforesting degraded areas are
biotic pressure, illicit felling of trees, encroachment, shifting cultivation etc.
Apart from NAP and GIM, large scale afforestation work is also being carried out by other Ministries under
schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Integrated
Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), National Bamboo Mission, Thirteenth Finance Commission
and under various State Plan and Non Plan schemes.