Parliament Question: Impact of Climate Change in Bihar

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3741 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 Impact of Climate Change in Bihar 3741. DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) the current status of implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in Bihar; (b) the details of climate action programmes and their outcomes, district-wise; (c) the measures taken to mitigate climate change impacts in rural and urban areas; (d) the steps taken by the Government for promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency under NAPCC; and (e) the details of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for climate action programmes? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (e) The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) comprises of nine missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, agriculture, the Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, strategic knowledge on climate change, and human health. These missions are being implemented through respective nodal Ministries and Departments of Government of India in convergence with relevant schemes and programmes of Govt. of India, as well as the respective States. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India has supported preparation of State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) for the State of Bihar. The SAPCC has been prepared in line with the NAPCC and considering the State-specific issues relating to climate change. The Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, has established the State Climate Change Cell (SCCC) in Bihar under one of the missions of NAPCC – National Mission on Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change (NMSKCC). The SCCC, Bihar assists the state in carrying out vulnerability and risk assessments, conducting human capacity-building programmes, public awareness programmes, and institutional capacity-building, and implementing actions selected for sustainable development by the state as part of their State Action Plans. As part of the project, the studies are undertaken at the district level, which may be further useful for climate adaptation planning using a common framework. 1Under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, mechanisms are developed at national and state levels to address climate-sensitive health issues through awareness generation, capacity building, health sector preparedness and response, and intersectoral coordination. 36 States and Union Territories, including Bihar, have developed State Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health (SAPCCHH), with activities including training, advisories, awareness campaigns, surveillance mechanisms and community awareness across districts. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India, has initiated several schemes under one of the missions of NAPCC i.e. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to promote sustainable agriculture practices. Further, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima yojana along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide a comprehensive insurance cover against crop failure by providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/ damage arising out of unforeseen natural calamities. Under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change, Government of India is supporting the project “Scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) through mainstreaming Climate Smart Villages (CSVs) in Bihar”. It is being implemented in eight districts of the State; namely, Patna, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Munger, Purnea, Katihar, Samastipur and Darbhanga. The objective of the project is to improve the adaptive capacity of rural community to climate change through enhancing the portfolios of climate resilient agriculture interventions in targeted villages of Bihar. The project activities are related to climate smart agriculture interventions in accordance with farmers’ socio economic and the prevalent bio-physical conditions, enhancing the capacities of stakeholders for implementing and sustaining the climate change adaptation strategies and mainstreaming adaptation strategies into policies and programmes through better knowledge management and sharing. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has taken several steps and initiatives to promote and accelerate renewable capacity in the country. Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, New Solar Power Scheme (for Tribal and PVTG Habitations/Villages) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and Dharti Aabha Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA JGUA), National Green Hydrogen Mission, and Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects have been launched. The Scheme for setting up of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power projects is being implemented to provide land and transmission to RE developers for installation of RE projects at large scale, while the laying of new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity has been funded under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power. In addition, Standard & Labelling (S&L) programs for Solar Photovoltaic modules and Grid-connected Solar Inverters have been launched. As per the information provided by the Government of Bihar, ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission’ is being implemented with the aim to combat climate change and promote afforestation and water conservation. Under this Mission of the State Govt, a total of 414.90 lakh and 340.96 lakh 2saplings were planted in 38 districts during financial years (FY) 2024-25 and 2025-26 respectively. District-wise plantation details are attached as Annexure I. Further, under this Mission, ‘Soil Moisture Conservation’ (SMC) works were executed in 17,661 ha during FY 2022–23 to FY 2023–24 and 2,112 ha during FY 2025–26. In addition, during the financial year 2024-25 and 2025-26, 3,217 and 108 check dams were constructed, respectively, under the SMC works. Monitoring of missions under NAPCC is undertaken through a multi-tiered institutional framework. Each mission is anchored in a nodal ministry with in-built monitoring systems, including Steering Committees, technical reviews, and outcome-based indicators for the relevant schemes and programs, etc., to track financial and physical progress. At the national level, the Executive Committee on Climate Change, reviews inter-ministerial progress and resolves implementation bottlenecks. Apex policy guidance is provided by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change (PMCCC) to ensure alignment with national priorities and international climate commitments. The MoEFCC coordinates and oversees progress through the Apex Committee for Implementing the Paris Agreement (AIPA). *** 3Annexure-I referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3741 regarding “Impact of Climate Change in Bihar” for answer on 16.03.2026. District-wise plantation report (2024-25 & 2025-26) Achievement Achievement Sl. No. District (2024–25) (2025–26) 1 Araria 867214 984281 2 Kishanganj 533030 580447 3 Banka 1433825 1870553 4 Bhagalpur 945336 508006 5 Jamui 1435180 1563354 6 Sheikhpura 260589 274283 7 Katihar 849681 407033 8 Purnia 944003 891964 9 Madhepura 735407 617541 10 Saharsa 553828 534636 11 Supaul 806310 951050 12 Begusarai 1095032 941895 13 Khagaria 528213 321460 14 Gopalganj 939543 866048 15 Siwan 1424928 884972 16 Darbhanga 1257535 915682 17 Madhubani 1633042 893986 18 E. Champaran 1641784 1174431 19 Tirhut 1798685 1075042 20 Samastipur 1429940 1576330 21 Saran 1322554 916286 22 Sitamarhi 1218034 627963 23 Sheohar 257364 177423 24 Vaishali 1172001 795807 25 Arwal 331287 212320 26 Aurangabad 1381874 1407929 27 Bhojpur 878058 637475 28 Buxar 606541 592875 29 Gaya 2938629 1775461 30 Jehanabad 408722 330973 31 Nalanda 1045241 871785 32 Nawada 904532 1042626 33 Patna 1176299 612850 34 W. Champaran 1589712 1439036 35 Rohtas 1570793 1572925 36 Kaimur 1691729 1478974 37 Munger 1253798 1417528 38 Lakhisarai 630507 352857 Total 4,14,90,780 3,40,96,087 4