New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): India's forest cover has increased by 16,630.25 square kilometres over the last decade since 2013, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

In a written reply, the minister said the forest and tree cover of the country now stands at 8,27,356.95 sq km, which is 25.17% of India's geographical area. This includes 7,15,342.61 sq km under forest cover and 1,12,014.34 sq km under tree cover, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023.

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Compared to the last assessment in 2021, there is an overall increase of 1,445.81 sq km in forest and tree cover, with 156.41 sq km added to forest cover and 1,289.4 sq km to tree cover.

The minister attributed the net gain over the past decade to sustained conservation efforts by states and Union Territories, along with central government schemes. "There is an increasing trend of forest cover in the country over the last decade," Singh said.

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Protection and management of forests is primarily the responsibility of state governments and UT administrations, guided by legal frameworks such as the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980; and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Singh said the Centre also provides technical and financial support to states and UTs under schemes including the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, and the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI).

Afforestation is also undertaken under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), he said.

Singh added that the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam plantation campaign, launched on World Environment Day 2024, is being continued this year and has contributed to large-scale plantation drives across the country. (ANI)

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