Parliament Question: Climate Resilience and Adaptation

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 102 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2026 Climate Resilience and Adaptation 102. MR PATHAN YUSUF; Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of climate change on the increasing frequency of erratic monsoon, heatwaves and extreme weather events across the country; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) the measures taken by the Government to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation, particularly in vulnerable districts; and (d) whether any new national action plan has been prepared to address the growing impact of climate change on agriculture, water resources and biodiversity? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) & (b) The Government of India has been monitoring and recording the occurrence of various extreme weather events such as extreme rainfall, heat waves, cyclones, etc. across the country. The Third National Communication (TNC) submitted by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2023 has reported that India is experiencing full range of climate change impacts, ranging from floods and droughts to heatwaves and glacier melt. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has published a report “Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region”, which provides a comprehensive assessment of observed and projected changes in climate over India. Additionally, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has developed a web-based "Climate Hazard and Vulnerability Atlas of India", which covers 13 major hazardous meteorological events that cause significant human, animal, and economic losses. Further, IMD also studied changing rainfall patterns in the country and extremes in the recent 30 years at different spatial scales (States and Districts). A total of 29 reports on "Observed Rainfall Variability and Changes" for various States/UTs have been published. (c) India’s climate actions across various sectors are embedded in various programmes and schemes. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides the overarching framework for all climate actions and comprises missions in specific areas such as sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, human health and strategic knowledge for climate change. The Missions are institutionalized and implemented by their respective Nodal Ministries/Departments. Further, thirty-four States/Union Territories (UTs) have prepared their State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with NAPCC takinginto account the State specific issues relating to climate change. The responsibility of the implementation of the SAPCCs rest with the respective States. In addition, there are various schemes, programmes and initiatives to address the impacts of climate change to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation such as Per Drop More Crop and Rainfed Area Development to promote efficient water management through micro-irrigation and Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) respectively. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide insurance coverage against crop losses caused by natural calamities and climate-related risks, helping farmers mitigate financial losses and enhance resilience. Aapda Mitra Scheme has been implemented and 1,00,000 community volunteers have been trained in disaster rescue in 350 multi-hazards disaster-prone districts, covering all States/UTs. (d) MoEFCC has initiated the preparation of India's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) on Climate Change, which aims to build resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate-related risks across sectors including agriculture, water and biodiversity. *****