India has restored more than 26,000 hectares (6,424 acres) of degraded mangrove forests over the past two years under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes, the environment ministry said on Monday.
According to a written reply in parliament by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh, 26,396.34 hectares have been brought under restoration during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years.
This includes 3,836 hectares funded under the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, or CAMPA, and 22,560.34 hectares restored through convergence with State CAMPA, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and other initiatives.
Targeted Efforts in Coastal States
Under the National CAMPA’s gap funding for 2024–25, Gujarat led with 2,500 hectares restored and ₹6.20 crore disbursed.
Other beneficiaries include 478 hectares in West Bengal, 701 hectares in Andhra Pradesh, 13 hectares in Kerala and 55 hectares in Puducherry.
Odisha received ₹70 lakh for restoring 89 hectares in four districts — Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Puri.
In Kendrapara district, plantation work has begun over five hectares in Junusnagar village near the Bhitarkanika Mangrove Division.
Local eco-development committees and fringe villages are involved in seedling nurseries, plantation drives and livelihood initiatives such as duck rearing, mangrove honey production and tailoring.
Community participation is central to the MISHTI scheme, with awareness workshops and training programs involving forest officials, NGOs, Panchayati Raj institutions and academic bodies.
Members of Van Suraksha Samitis and EDCs are actively engaged in nursery management, planting, and post-plantation care.
Forest Cover Sees Net Gains
In a separate reply to Parliament, Singh said that forest and tree cover in India had increased by 1,445.81 square kilometers since the last assessment, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023.
However, concerns persist over the illegal felling of trees. While the primary responsibility for forest protection lies with states and union territories, several national laws — such as the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 — govern forest conservation.
Data on illegal logging is maintained by state authorities, who also carry out assessments and maintain forest offence registers. Offenders are prosecuted under relevant legislation.
To deter illegal activities, the ministry outlined a series of measures including increased patrolling, the establishment of anti-poaching and patrolling camps, checkposts and community-driven forest protection through joint forest management programs and awareness campaigns.
