The Government of India has allocated over ₹15 crores to Jammu and Kashmir under various schemes to increase forest and tree cover in the Union Territory.
The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh in Parliament while responding to an unstarred question raised by MPs, including Jugal Kishore Sharma of Jammu.
Citing the latest India State of Forest Report, the Minister said that J&K has 21,387 square kilometers of forest cover and 2,867 square kilometers of tree cover.
He said that several central programs have been implemented in J&K to strengthen forest management and expand green cover.
The Minister said that under Green India Mission, ₹4.50 crores have been allocated for 2024-25 under this national program. GIM focuses on improving forest and tree cover to combat climate change and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Under Wildlife Habitat Development Scheme, the Minister said J&K will receive ₹73.97 lakh under this initiative in 2024-25 to conserve wildlife and their habitats to ensure better ecosystem management.
Under Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA), ₹3.31 crores have been allocated to J&K under this program, which supports afforestation projects to restore degraded forests and maintain ecological balance, he said.
Under Nagar Van Yojana, with an allocation of ₹6.58 crores, the program will focus on developing urban forests in cities and towns across J&K. The initiative is expected to reduce pollution and create more green spaces for better urban living, the Minister added.
On Ladakh UT, the Minister said that no funds were allocated to Ladakh for the 2024-25 financial year. Ladakh currently has a forest cover of 2,272 square kilometers and a tree cover of 954 square kilometers.
