The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change encourages plantation in the country including various metropolitan cities through programmes and schemes such as Nagar Van Yojana, School Nursery Yojana, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), National Mission for a Green India (GIM), etc. which promotes urban forestry, tree plantation on vacant lands and bunds on farm lands etc. by involving local communities, NGOs, educational institutions, local bodies, etc.

In specific respect to urban areas, the Ministry is implementing the Nagar Van Yojana the scheme initiated forcreation of Nagar Van (city forest) in urban areas over a period of five years at a total estimated cost of Rs.895crore under the National Fund of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). A total of 65 Nagar Van projects in 22 States have been approved for implementation, so far, under NVY.

The following additional steps taken by the Government contribute to protection and development of forest areas in the country including in the metropolitan cities:

1. For preservation and protection of forest and wildlife, various laws including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and other central/state laws as applicable to a State/UT, are implemented by the respective State Government /UT Administration. The Ministry also provides financial supports to the States /UTs under Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme for protection against forest fire.
2. The Ministry has implemented National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for tree plantation in degraded forests through people’s participation which has been merged with National Mission for a Green India (GIM), under which, in addition to other sub-missions, there is a specific sub-mission for enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. An area over 2 million hectare was sanctioned for taking up afforestation in the States/Union Territories (UTs) with an investment of about Rs. 3936.41 crores till 2020-21 under NAP since its launching year 2000. Under GIM an amount of about Rs. 455 crore has been released to States/UTs since 2015-16 to 2020-21.
3. Urban forestry is a permissible activity under the provisions of Compensatory Fund Act, 2016 and the Rules made there under. The Government of India has disbursed an amount of Rs. 48606.39crore from National Fund to 32 State funds as share of respective States as per Compensatory Fund Act, 2016.
4. As per information received from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), 1864 No. of parks over 3794 acres of land have been developed in the Mission cities.
5. Further, tree plantation, being a multi-departmental, multi-agency activity, are also being taken up cross-sectorally under various programmes/funding sources of other ministries/ organizations and also through State Plan budgets.

 

This information was given by Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change in Lok Sabha today.

 

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(Release ID: 1810570)