Schemes to Increase Forest Cover in the Country

Schemes to Increase Forest Cover in the Country The Government has made many effort to increase the forest cover in the country The Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing a National Afforestation Programme (NAP) scheme with people’s participation including involvement of non government persons, rural and local people living in and around the forest areas to increase forest and tree cover (FTC) in the country. The scheme is being implemented through a decentralized mechanism of State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at State level, Forest Development Agency (FDA) at Forest Division level and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at the village level. As on 31/12/2010, projects to treat an area of 17.19 lakh ha. through 42535 JFMCs have been sanctioned in the States since inception of the scheme in the year 2002. In addition to above scheme, the following steps have been taken to increase forest and tree cover in the country by involving non-government persons and rural and local people.

(i) Six Eco- Task Force (ETF) Battalions are working in difficult areas for eco-restoration of degraded areas.

(ii) XIIIth Finance Commission has recommended Rs.5000 crores for five years starting from 2010-11 for conservation and development of forests and Rs.625 crores have been released to various States during the year 2010-11.

(iii) Additional Central Assistance of Rs.81.66 Crores has been released to the States during 2009-10 for restoration and regeneration of forest cover.

(iv) Under the Grants-in-Aid for Greening India Scheme, assistance is provided to voluntary agencies for tree planting and mass awareness. The grants are now being released to ongoing projects only.

(v) Besides the schemes of Ministry of Environment and Forests, there are State schemes and Central schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and National Bamboo Mission, which have considerable component for afforestation involving rural and local people.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Shreegopal Vyas in Rajya Sabha February 22.