Steps To Bring More Area Under Green Cover
The National Forest Policy (NFP) 1988 sets a national goal of covering at least one-third of the total land area with forests or trees, and two-thirds in hill and mountainous regions.
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, India’s total tree and forest cover spans 8,27,356.95 sq km, accounting for 25.15% of the country’s geographical area. Compared to ISFR 2021, this marks an increase of 1,445.81 sq km.
The State-wise details of India’s geographical area under tree and forest cover, as per ISFR 2023, are given below:
(Area in sq. Km.)
| State/UTs | GeographicalArea | Forest Cover | Tree Cover | Total Forest Cover including Tree Cover |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1,62,922.57 | 30,084.96 | 5,340.02 | 35,424.98 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 83,743.22 | 65,881.57 | 1,201.63 | 67,083.20 |
| Assam | 78,438.00 | 28,313.55 | 2,101.46 | 30,415.01 |
| Bihar | 94,163.00 | 7,532.45 | 2,370.21 | 9,902.66 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1,35,192.00 | 55,811.75 | 6,538.70 | 62,350.45 |
| Delhi | 1,483.00 | 195.28 | 176.03 | 371.31 |
| Goa | 3,702.00 | 2,265.72 | 257.82 | 2,523.54 |
| Gujarat | 1,96,244.00 | 15,016.64 | 6,632.29 | 21,648.93 |
| Haryana | 44,212.00 | 1,614.26 | 1,693.02 | 3,307.28 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 55,673.00 | 15,580.35 | 855.07 | 16,435.42 |
| Jharkhand | 79,716.00 | 23,765.78 | 3,637.55 | 27,403.33 |
| Karnataka | 1,91,791.00 | 39,254.27 | 7,779.15 | 47,033.42 |
| Kerala | 38,852.00 | 22,059.36 | 2,905.94 | 24,965.30 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,08,252.11 | 77,073.44 | 8,650.14 | 85,723.58 |
| Maharashtra | 3,07,713.00 | 50,858.53 | 14,524.88 | 65,383.41 |
| Manipur | 22,327.00 | 16,585.46 | 209.82 | 16,795.28 |
| Meghalaya | 22,429.00 | 16,966.84 | 720.56 | 17,687.40 |
| Mizoram | 21,081.00 | 17,990.46 | 567.80 | 18,558.26 |
| Nagaland | 16,579.00 | 12,222.47 | 394.02 | 12,616.49 |
| Odisha | 1,55,707.00 | 52,433.56 | 6,163.45 | 58,597.01 |
| Punjab | 50,362.00 | 1,846.09 | 1,475.15 | 3,321.24 |
| Rajasthan | 3,42,238.99 | 16,548.21 | 10,841.12 | 27,389.33 |
| Sikkim | 7,096.00 | 3,358.40 | 48.33 | 3,406.73 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1,30,060.00 | 26,450.22 | 5,370.72 | 31,820.94 |
| Telangana | 1,12,122.44 | 21,179.04 | 3,517.66 | 24,696.70 |
| Tripura | 10,486.00 | 7,584.77 | 247.56 | 7,832.33 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,40,927.56 | 15,045.80 | 8,950.92 | 23,996.72 |
| Uttarakhand | 53,483.36 | 24,303.83 | 1,231.14 | 25,534.97 |
| West Bengal | 88,752.00 | 16,832.33 | 2,938.12 | 19,770.45 |
| A&N Islands | 8,249.00 | 6,732.92 | 26.97 | 6,759.89 |
| Chandigarh | 114.00 | 25.00 | 21.18 | 46.18 |
| Dadra & NagarHaveli and Daman & Diu | 602.00 | 225.62 | 36.83 | 262.45 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 2,22,236.00 | 21,346.39 | 3,666.97 | 25,013.36 |
| Ladakh | 2,285.92 | 893.02 | 3,178.94 | |
| Lakshadweep | 29.63 | 27.06 | 0.20 | 27.26 |
| Puducherry | 490.00 | 44.31 | 28.89 | 73.20 |
| Total | 32,87,468.88 | 7,15,342.61 | 1,12,014.34 | 8,27,356.95 |
Forest Management & Conservation
State governments primarily manage and protect forests, supported by national and state-level legal and regulatory frameworks. Key forest conservation policies and laws include:
- National Forest Policy (1988)
- Indian Forest Act (1927)
- Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972)
- Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam (1980)
- Biological Diversity Act (2002)
Expanding Green Cover
To increase forest cover, the government implements several schemes, including:
- National Mission for a Green India (GIM)
- Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats
- Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)
- Nagar Van Yojana (NVY)
- Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)
All in all, such initiatives focus on afforestation, forest restoration, habitat improvement, and soil & water conservation.
Tree Plantation Drive
On June 5, 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”. Markedly, this is a nationwide tree plantation campaign to boost green cover across India.
Reference
Parliament Question: Steps To Bring More Area Under Green Cover
Want to stay informed and inspired? Subscribe to our blog for insightful updates delivered straight to your inbox. Explore our website for a curated collection of reference books, resources, and more – designed to fuel your curiosity and keep you ahead.