**Executive Summary:**
This document addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 126 regarding the achievement of forest cover in India. It details the increase in forest cover over the last ten years, the funds allocated and utilized for this purpose, and the actions taken by the government to further increase forest cover. The data is based on the Forest Survey of India (FSI) reports, specifically ISFR 2023, and covers the period between ISFR 2013 and ISFR 2023.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Forest Cover Assessment:**
* The Forest Survey of India (FSI) biennially assesses forest and tree cover using remote sensing and ground verification.
* ISFR 2023 reports the total forest cover as 7,15,342.61 sq km, which is 21.76% of India's geographical area.
* There has been an increase of 16,630.25 sq km in forest cover between ISFR 2013 and ISFR 2023.
* **National Forest Policy (NFP) 1988:**
* The NFP 1988 aims for a minimum of one-third of the total land area to be under forest or tree cover.
* It also aims for two-thirds of the area under such cover in hill and mountainous regions.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) supports afforestation and tree plantation activities undertaken by States and Union Territories.
* Financial support is provided under schemes like National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI).
* Afforestation is also carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
* **Financial Allocations and Achievements:**
* Over the last five years, ₹619 crore has been released under GIM to 18 States, including ₹7.88 crore to Haryana.
* ₹164.92 Crore has been released under FPM to all States, including ₹0.17 Crore to Haryana.
* ₹439.24 Crore has been released under NVY to all States, including ₹4.49 Crore to Haryana.
* ₹40,404.46 Crore of Annual Plan of Operations of States/UTs has been approved by the National Authority CAMPA, including ₹982.08 Crore to Haryana.
* **Increase in Forest Cover (2019-2023):**
* India's forest cover increased by 3,093.61 sq km between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2023.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State and Union Territory Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for undertaking afforestation and tree plantation activities.
* *Action Required:* Utilize funds provided under various schemes for ecological restoration, afforestation, habitat improvement, and soil and water conservation.
* **Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for providing technical and financial support to States/UTs for forest management.
* *Action Required:* Continue to allocate funds under schemes like GIM, FPM, NVY, and CAMPA and monitor the progress of afforestation efforts.
* **Forest Survey of India (FSI):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for assessing and reporting on the forest and tree cover of the country.
* *Action Required:* Continue biennial assessments and publish findings in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR).
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and forestry.
SHRI VARUN CHAUDHRY: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the unstarred question No. 126.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Forest Survey of India: Organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change responsible for assessment of forest and tree cover.
India State of Forest Report: A biennial report published by the Forest Survey of India on the state of forests in India.
National Forest Policy 1988: A policy document that envisages the national goal to have a minimum of one-third of the total land area under forest or tree cover.
National Mission for a Green India: A scheme by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to provide funds to States/UTs for afforestation.
Haryana: A state in India that received funds under the Green India Mission, Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme and Nagar Van Yojana.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 126
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
Achievement of Forest Cover
126. SHRI VARUN CHAUDHRY:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the details of the forest cover in the country along with the quantum of increase in the
forest cover as per the target set during the last ten years, State and area-wise;
(b) the details of the funds allocated and utilised under the said initiative; and
(c) the action taken/being taken by the Government to increase the forest cover in the
country along with the allocation and achievements during the last five years, State-
wise particularly Haryana?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a)&(b) Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the assessment of forest and tree
cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in the India State of
Forest Report (ISFR). The forest cover assessment is a wall-to-wall mapping exercise
based on remote sensing supported by intensive ground verification and field data
from the National Forest Inventory.
As per ISFR 2023, the forest cover of the country is 7,15,342.61 square kilometer
which is 21.76% of the total geographical area of the country. In the last ten years, the
forest cover of the country has increased from 6,98,712.36 square kilometer to
7,15,342.61 square kilometer. Thus there has been an increase of 16,630.25 square
kilometer in the forest cover of the country between ISFR 2013 and ISFR 2023. The
State/UT wise details of the forest cover during last ten years is given in Annexure-I.
The National Forest Policy (NFP) 1988 envisages the national goal to have a minimum
of one-third of the total land area under forest or tree cover and two-thirds of the area
under such cover in the hill and mountainous regions of the country.
(c) In consonance with NFP, 1988, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEF&CC) has been taking several initiatives for promoting forestry in the
country. The afforestation and tree plantation activities are undertaken by States and
Union Territories Governments under various State schemes.This Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs for
protection, conservation and management of forests in the country. For afforestation,
the Ministry provides funds under various schemes and programmes such as National
Mission for a Green India (GIM), Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme
(FPM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and
Tangible Incomes (MISHTI). Afforestation is also carried out by the States/UTs under
the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority
(CAMPA).
These funds support the efforts of States and Union Territories to enhance forest and
tree cover through ecological restoration measures such as afforestation within and
outside forest areas, forest landscape restoration, habitat improvement, soil and water
conservation, protection activities, and other related interventions.
Over the last five years, an amount of ₹619 crore has been released under the Green
India Mission (GIM) to 18 States, which includes ₹7.88 crore released to the State of
Haryana.
Further, ₹164.92 Crore has been released under FPM to all States which includes ₹0.17
Crore to the State of Haryana during last five years. An amount of ₹439.24 Crore has
been released under Nagar Van Yojana to all States which includes ₹4.49 Crore to the
State of Haryana during last five years.
In addition, ₹40,404.46 Crore of Annual Plan of Operations of States/UTs has been
approved by the National Authority CAMPA which include ₹982.08 Crore to the State
of Haryana during last five years.
It is a result of the comprehensive action taken regarding protection and conservation
of forests as well as afforestation efforts that India’s forest cover has increased by
3,093.61 square kilometer between ISFR 2019 & ISFR 2023. The States/UTs showing
change in the forest cover during year 2019 and 2023 are given in Annexure-II.
******Annexure-I
Annexure referred to in reply (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 126 due
for answer on 21.07.2025 regarding Achievement of Forest Cover asked by Shri
Varun Chaudhry
State/UT wise details of decadal change in Forest Cover
between 2013 and 2023 as per ISFR 2023
(In square kilometer)
Sl.No. State/UT Forest Cover Forest Cover Decadal Change in
(2013) (2023) Forest Cover
between 2013 &
2023
1 Andhra Pradesh 26043.53 30,084.96 4041.43
2 Arunachal Pradesh 66966.09 65,881.57 -1084.52
3 Assam 27564.90 28,313.55 748.65
4 Bihar 7283.55 7,532.45 248.90
5 Chhattisgarh 55606.96 55,811.75 204.79
6 Delhi 180.32 195.28 14.96
7 Goa 2219.00 2,265.72 46.72
8 Gujarat 14507.77 15,016.64 508.87
9 Haryana 1583.38 1,614.26 30.88
10 Himachal Pradesh 14683.00 15,580.35 897.35
11 Jharkhand 23815.38 23,765.78 -49.60
12 Karnataka 36170.68 39,254.27 3083.59
13 Kerala 18383.95 22,059.36 3675.41
14 Madhya Pradesh 77522.00 77,073.44 -448.56
15 Maharashtra 50632.00 50,858.53 226.53
16 Manipur 16961.16 16,585.46 -375.70
17 Meghalaya 17241.48 16,966.84 -274.64
18 Mizoram 18978.16 17,990.46 -987.70
19 Nagaland 13017.35 12,222.47 -794.88
20 Odisha 50544.71 52,433.56 1888.85
21 Punjab 1790.78 1,846.09 55.31
22 Rajasthan 16086.00 16,548.21 462.21
23 Sikkim 3358.00 3,358.40 0.40
24 Tamil Nadu 24245.21 26,450.22 2205.01
25 Telangana 19956.62 21,179.04 1222.42
26 Tripura 7948.65 7,584.77 -363.88
27 Uttar Pradesh 14359.72 15,045.80 686.08
28 Uttarakhand 24508.00 24,303.83 -204.17
29 West Bengal 17101.98 16,832.33 -269.65
30 A&N Islands 6711.00 6,732.92 21.92
31 Chandigarh 17.26 25.00 7.74
32 Dadra & Nagar 219.96 225.62 5.66
Haveli
Daman & Diu
33 Jammu & Kashmir 20948.27 21,346.39 398.12
34 Ladakh 1478.00 2,285.92 807.92
35 Lakshadweep 27.02 27.06 0.04
36 Puducherry 50.52 44.31 -6.21
Grand Total 698712.36 7,15,342.61 16,630.25Annexure-II
Annexure referred to in reply (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 126 due
for answer on 21.07.2025 regarding Achievement of Forest Cover asked by Shri
Varun Chaudhry
State/UT wise details of Forest Cover in ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2023
(In square kilometer)
Sl.No. State/UT Forest Cover Forest Cover
(ISFR 2019) (ISFR 2023)
1 Andhra Pradesh 29,137.00 30,084.96
2 Arunachal Pradesh 66,688.00 65,881.57
3 Assam 28,327.00 28,313.555
4 Bihar 7,306.00 7,532.45
5 Chhattisgarh 55,611.00 55,811.75
6 Delhi 195.44 195.28
7 Goa 2,237.00 2,265.72
8 Gujarat 14,857.00 15,016.64
9 Haryana 1,602.00 1,614.26
10 Himachal Pradesh 15,434.00 15,580.35
11 Jharkhand 23,611.00 23,765.78
12 Karnataka 38,575.00 39,254.27
13 Kerala 21,144.00 22,059.36
14 Madhya Pradesh 77,482.00 77,073.44
15 Maharashtra 50,778.00 50,858.53
16 Manipur 16,847.00 16,585.46
17 Meghalaya 17,119.00 16,966.84
18 Mizoram 18,006.00 17,990.46
19 Nagaland 12,486.00 12,222.47
20 Odisha 51,619.00 52,433.56
21 Punjab 1,849.00 1,846.09
22 Rajasthan 16,630.00 16,548.21
23 Sikkim 3,342.00 3,358.40
24 Tamil Nadu 26,364.00 26,450.22
25 Telangana 20,582.00 21,179.04
26 Tripura 7,726.00 7,584.77
27 Uttar Pradesh 14,806.00 15,045.80
28 Uttarakhand 24,303.00 24,303.83
29 West Bengal 16,902.00 16,832.33
30 A&N Islands 6,743.00 6,732.92
31 Chandigarh 22.03 25
32 Dadra & Nagar 207 225.62
Haveli
Daman & Diu 20.49
33 Jammu & Kashmir 21,122.00 21,346.39
34 Ladakh 2,490.00 2,285.92
35 Lakshadweep 27.1 27.06
36 Puducherry 52.41 44.31
Grand Total 7,12,249.00 7,15,342.61