Parliament Question: Amrit Dharohar Scheme, 2019

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 446 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 Amrit Dharohar Scheme, 2019

446. SMT. SHAMBHAVI:

SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL:

DR. LATA WANKHEDE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to

state:

(a) the details of the funds allocated, sanctioned, disbursed and the way they are utilized under the Amrit Dharohar Scheme since 2019, State/UT and year-wise;

(b) the details of the wetlands identified for conservation, restored and managed under the Amrit Dharohar Scheme since its inception, State/UT-wise particularly in Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh;

(c) the details of the partnerships with global organizations or other countries to adopt best practices for wetland conservation under the Scheme and their outcome;

(d) the expected role of wetlands conserved under this Scheme play in improving water quality and replenishing groundwater resources;

(e) the measures taken under the Scheme to preserve Ramsar sites and enhance their ecological significance; and

(f) whether the Government is considering to expand the scope of the Amrit Dharohar Scheme to cover additional wetlands or address emerging challenges, such as urbanization and pollution, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) & (b) The Amrit Dharohar is an initiative under the scheme of ‘National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) launched in 2023 to promote the unique conservation values of Ramsar Sites. The key components are Species and Habitat Conservation, Nature Tourism, Wetlands Livelihoods and Wetlands Carbon Assessment. The funding under this initiative is done through NPCA. Based on the proposals received from various State Governments including Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh under NPCA, the details of funds released as central share during the last three years for the conservation and management of wetlands is annexed.(c) to (f) India is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, which is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Further, global organisations such as WISA, WWF and IUCN are the Knowledge Partners for conservation and management of wetlands in the country.

The salient outcomes of the Amrit Dharohar initiative including the measures taken to preserve Ramsar sites and enhance their ecological significance, studies conducted under its key components and coordination with State Governments, Knowledge Partners and Local

Communities are as follows:

(i) Species and Habitat Conservation: Studies for the inventory of flora and fauna of 75 Ramsar Sites have been conducted by the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India, respectively. People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) for Ramsar Sites have been developed or updated. To ensure effective monitoring of the management plans, guidelines for the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) for Indian Wetlands were published and, METT Assessments have so far been completed for 65 Ramsar Sites. Ten educational videos on wetlands have also been developed for different levels of school students, in collaboration with the Central Institute of Educational Technology, National Council of Educational Research and Training. An implementation framework for the wise use of wetlands was released. A Video on Bird call of flagship species of Ramsar sites of India has also been released.

(ii) Nature Tourism & Wetlands Livelihoods: The MoEF&CC has collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism to study the subject matter and develop curricula for training programmes on nature tourism and wetlands livelihoods. Trainings under the Alternate Livelihood Programme and Paryavaran Naavik Certification have been conducted for 196 local community members from five Ramsar Sites. In addition, a training module for Nature Guides has been developed under the Green Skill Development Programme of MoEF&CC.

(iii) Wetlands Carbon Assessment: A ‘Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Carbon Stock in Wetlands’ was released, and has been utilised to assess the Carbon- stock of 39 Ramsar Sites across the country. Methodology for climate co-benefit assessment for wetlands has been developed. Considering the high carbon storage capacity of peatlands, a Technical Report on “Peatlands of India: An Overview and Future Roadmap” has been released.

*****Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 446 to be answered on Monday, the 2nd February, 2026 on ‘Amrit Dharohar Scheme, 2019’ (Rs. In Lakhs) Sl. States Name of 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 Total No. wetland 1 Arunachal Nikpu Yabik - - 86.98531 86.98531 Pradesh Sinyig Lake Yabik - - 70.99380 70.99380 Sinying 2 Bihar Gokul - - 78.60 78.60 Jalasay 3 Gujarat Khijadia 20.58 - - 20.58 Wetland 4 Madhya Amrit Sagar 65.00 9.85543 43.63261 118.48804 Pradesh Sita Sagar 216 - 59.10845 275.10845 5 Manipur Loktak lake 100 - - 100 Waithoum - 451.444 - 451.444 Pat Jaimeng - 59.409 59.409 Yarat Pat - 264.573 76.35 340.923 6 Mizoram Palak 59.20 39.47 98.03 196.70 Tamdil 76.41 38.205 98.7055 213.3205 7 Nagaland Doyang 115.632 231.264 301.86 648.756 8 Odisha Chilika 127.50 - - 127.50 Ansupa - 36.68505 - 36.68505 9 Rajasthan Pushkar lake 525 - - 525 10 Sikkim Gurudokmar 75.00 88.25 14.23619 177.48619 Khechuperi - 37.881 113.63679 151.51779 Tamzey 65.27 195.811 76.19999 337.28099 Yanchen Tso - 86.98275 86.95289 173.93564 11 UP Lakh Bahosi 8.09 - - 8.09 Samaspur 9.13 - 3.90 13.03 Nawabganj 5.32319 - - 5.32319 Sandi 5.011 - - 5.011 Keetham 19.83 34.83 - 54.66 Patna BS 27.84 21.57 - 49.41 Chando Tal 35.892 - 4.52090 40.4129 Saman 24.2682 29.4822 - 53.7504 Sarsai Nawar 16.088 - 7.86257 23.95057 12 WB EKW - - 18.56537 18.56537 Total 1597.06439 1625.71243 1240.14037 4462.91719