India could not reach the targets set for increase in forest cover and the quality of trees.
Goals set for increase of forest cover was 53,377 hactares, but actual plantation was only in 26,287 hecatares. Similarly a target of 166656 hectares was set for improving the quality of forests, but actual target reached was only 102096 hectares.
According to statistics obtained through the Right To Information Act, India is falling short of the goals set forth in the Green India Mission to enhance the quantity and quality of tree- and forest-cover plantations.
One of the eight Missions included in the National Action Plan on Climate Change is the National Mission for a Green India (GIM). The goals are for preservation and restoration of the forests in India. This efforts if successful will mitigate the effects of global warming. In order to increase the amount of trees and improve the quality of the existing forests, the Mission has set a target of 10 million hectares (Mha) on both forest and non-forest lands. As part of its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, India must increase its tree cover in order to store carbon and strengthen its carbon reserves.
Based on submissions from 17 States, the Center authorised a target of increasing tree/forest cover by 53,377 hectares from 2015–16 to 2021–22 and restoring the condition of degraded forest by 1,66,656 hectares. However, the Environment Ministry last month provided data from 17 States in answer to questions from Kerala-based RTI activist Govindan Nampoothiry, indicating that as of December 31, 2022, tree/forest cover had increased by 26,287 hectares and forest quality had improved in just 1,02,096 hectares.
The Ministry disclosed that although the Center had allotted 681 crore for the execution of these projects, only 525 crore had been used.
Andhra Pradesh, which had a target of 186 ha but only achieved 75 ha; Uttarakhand, which had a target of 6,446 ha but only achieved 1,505 ha; Madhya Pradesh, which had a target of 5,858 ha but delivered 1,882 ha; Kerala, which committed 1,686 ha but provided 616 ha; and Punjab, which had an unusually high commitment of 629 ha but delivered 1,082 ha.
According to the India State of Forest Report-2021, since the previous evaluation in 2019, the nation’s forest and tree cover has grown by 2,261 square kilometres. The entire area covered by trees and forests in India was 80.9 million hectares, or 24.62% of its total land area. According to the report, more than 33% of the land in 17 States and Union Territories was covered by forests. These 5 states ranked among the top in total forest cover among all the Indian states, namely Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76%), Manipur (74.34%), and Nagaland (73.90%). Also, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra had the maximum percentage of area under forest cover.
However, critics have noted that the majority of the increase in green cover was achieved through commercial plantations, which were monocultures and, from an ecological perspective, were unable to make up for natural forests and their biodiversity. They were also more vulnerable to pest infestations.