**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 200 in Lok Sabha, addressed to the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on December 1, 2025, regarding the decline in forest area in Hingoli, Maharashtra. It states that while there has been a slight decline in forest cover in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra, the Ministry supports State/UT efforts through various schemes and programs. The Ministry does not provide district-specific financial assistance. A plantation campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम #Plant4Mother” was launched on World Environment Day 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Forest Cover Assessment:**
* The Forest Survey of India (FSI) biennially assesses forest and tree cover.
* Assessment findings are published in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR).
* The assessment is based on remote sensing data, ground verification, and National Forest Inventory data.
* **Forest Cover in Hingoli:**
* As per ISFR 2023, the total forest cover in Hingoli is 111.73 sq km (2.31% of the district's geographical area).
* The forest cover decreased by 1.55 sq km between ISFR 2021 and ISFR 2023.
* **Responsibilities and Legal Frameworks:**
* Protection, conservation, and management of forests primarily lies with State Governments/Union Territory Administrations.
* Legal frameworks include the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980; and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
* The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issues advisories to State Governments/UT Administrations.
* **Financial and Technical Support:**
* The Ministry provides technical and financial support to States/UTs for forest protection, conservation, and management.
* Support includes funds from schemes like the National Mission for a Green India (GIM) and the Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FFPM).
* Afforestation is also supported through the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
* The Ministry has released ₹14.25 crore to Maharashtra under the FFPM Scheme (2020-21 to 2024-25).
* ₹3323.92 crore has been approved for Maharashtra under CAMPA.
* ₹10.30 crore has been released under GIM since the financial year 2018-19.
* **Initiatives:**
* Funds support ecological restoration measures like afforestation, forest landscape restoration, habitat improvement, soil, and water conservation.
* A plantation campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम #Plant4Mother” was launched on World Environment Day 2024.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments/Union Territory Administrations**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the protection, conservation, and management of forests, and receive financial and technical support from the Ministry.
* **Action Required:** Implement programs and initiatives using provided funds and adhere to advisories issued by the Ministry to enhance forest and tree cover.
**Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change**
* **Impact:** Provide guidelines and advice to States/UTs on forest-related issues.
* **Action Required:** Enforce State and Federal laws and policies to protect forests.
**Citizens/Society**
* **Impact:** Benefits from the enhancement of green cover, ecological restoration, and conservation efforts.
* **Action Required:** Participate in plantation activities and support the "Whole of Society" approach for increasing green cover.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The central ministry responsible for addressing the question on forest cover decline and related schemes.
India State of Forest Report (ISFR): A biennial report published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) that assesses forest and tree cover in India.
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA): A fund and planning authority used by States/UTs for afforestation activities.
Maharashtra: The specific state where the forest cover decline is being addressed in the parliamentary question.
Indian Forest Act, 1927: Legal framework for the protection and management of forests in India
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 200
TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025
Decline in Forest Area in Hingoli, Maharashtra
200. SHRI AASHTIKAR PATIL NAGESH BAPURAO:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that the forest cover in Hingoli district of Maharashtra
has been declining continuously during the past few years;
(b) if so, whether the Government has approved any new schemes for reforestation,
afforestation and social forestry in the district; and
(c) the details of financial assistance sanctioned or proposed for Hingoli under these
schemes?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (c) 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 total forest cover of the Hingoli district of Maharashtra is 111.73 square
kilometer which is 2.31% of the total geographical area of the district. The total forest cover
of Hingoli district between ISFR 2021 to ISFR 2023 decreased by 1.55 square kilometer.
The protection, conservation and management of forest is primarily the responsibility of the
State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. There are legal frameworks for the
protection and management of forests of the country which include, the Indian Forest Act,
1927; the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980; the Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972 and the State Forest Acts and Rules. Further, the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change issues advisories to State Governments/UT Administrations to protect
forest and trees.
In addition, the Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs for
protection, conservation and management of forests in the country. This includes funds from
the Central Government under various schemes and programmes such as the National Mission
for a Green India (GIM), Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FFPM), and NagarVan Yojana (NVY). Afforestation is also carried out by the States/UTs under the
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
The Ministry does not provide district-specific financial assistance; financial support is
released to States/UTs as a whole. In this regard, the Ministry has released an amount of ₹14.25
crore to the State of Maharashtra under the FFPM Scheme during the financial years 2020-21
to 2024-25. Under CAMPA, an amount of ₹3323.92 crore has been approved for Maharashtra
during the same period. Further, under GIM, a total of ₹10.30 crore has been released since the
financial year 2018-19 for implementing GIM activities over an area of 6766 hectares as per
the approved Annual Plans of Operation.
The funds provided under these schemes 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.
A plantation campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम #Plant4Mother” has been launched on the occasion
of World Environment Day 2024 and in the current year also to undertake plantation activities
across the country. This campaign follows the “Whole of Government” and “Whole of
Society” approach with participation of all stakeholders for increasing the green cover in the
country. The campaign has contributed large scale plantation aiding the enhancement of green
cover in the country.
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