Parliament Question: Forest conservation and afforestation in Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 709 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2026 Forest conservation and afforestation in Odisha 709. SHRI MANAS RANJAN MANGARAJ: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has assessed the current status of forest cover loss and gain in Odisha during the last five years; (b) the details of compensatory afforestation carried out in the State under CAMPA funds during 2020–2025; (c) whether any gaps have been identified in implementation of the Forest Conservation Act in the State; and (d) the steps being taken by the Government to strengthen forest protection and wildlife conservation mechanisms in the State? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) 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 Odisha is 52,433.56 square kilometer. The forest cover of Odisha has increased by 814.56 square kilometer in ISFR 2023 as compared to ISFR 2019 (b) Compensatory afforestation and allied forest restoration activities in Odisha are undertaken using funds available under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). During the period 2020-2025, Compensatory afforestation activities were carried out over an area of 17504.68 hectares in the State of Odisha. (c) The State Government implements the provisions of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 in accordance with the statutory provisions contained in the Adhiniyam, as well as the Rules and Guidelines issued thereunder. Further, in respect of the State of Odisha, no gaps in the implementation of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 have been identified by the Ministry. (d) The Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States and Union Territories through various schemes and programmes of the Central Government for increasing forest and tree cover, including protection, conservation and sustainable management of forests in the country. These include, inter alia, the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), CompensatoryAfforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, and forest fire prevention and management schemes. In addition, States and Union Territories implement State-specific afforestation, reforestation and forest conservation schemes in accordance with their ecological, climatic and geographic conditions. Further, a plantation campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम #Plant4Mother” has also been launched on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024 and in the current year also to undertake plantation activities across the country including State of Odisha. 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. ******