Forest Policy of India | Geography for UPSC CSE PDF Download

• India is among the first countries to adopt a forest policy, initially formulated in 1894, revised in 1952, and significantly updated in 1988. The Draft National Forest Policy, 2018, emphasizes climate change mitigation, urban forestry, and private sector involvement, with ongoing discussions for a finalized policy as of 2025.
• The National Forest Policy, 1988 aimed to achieve 33% forest and tree cover, a target reiterated in 2025, alongside new goals for carbon sequestration under India’s Net Zero by 2070 commitment.
• Key objectives of the 1988 policy, still relevant, include:
  • Preserving ecological balance and conserving natural heritage, now linked to REDD+ and biodiversity credits.
  • Controlling soil erosion, denudation in catchment areas, and sand dune expansion in northwest deserts and coastal regions, with new focus on mangrove restoration (e.g., Sundarbans).
  • Ensuring rural and tribal communities’ access to forest products, now integrated with FRA, 2006 implementation.
  • Optimizing forestry product utilization, including non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for livelihoods.
  • Enhancing forest productivity and cover through afforestation, with 2025 initiatives like Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam and Nagar Van Yojana.
  • Promoting community participation via Joint Forest Management (JFM) and Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights.
• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, amended in 1988 and significantly in 2023, regulates forest land diversion. The 2023 amendments exempt certain lands (e.g., within 100 km of borders, up to 10 hectares for security projects) but face criticism for weakening conservation, per 2024 Supreme Court rulings.
• Forest fire management has evolved since the 1984 Modern Forests Fire Control Project. As of 2025, AI and drone-based monitoring (e.g., Uttarakhand pilots) enhance prevention.
• Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, central government approval is required for diverting forest land, reducing annual diversions from 1.43 lakh hectares pre-1980 to ~25,000 hectares post-1980, with stricter enforcement via CAMPA funds in 2025.
• The FRA, 2006 scheme, ‘Association of Scheduled Tribes and Rural Poor in Regeneration of Degraded Forests on Usufruct Sharing Basis,’ continues in nine states, with 2025 updates focusing on digitizing claims under SVAMITVA.

Note: For UPSC, study the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 and FRA implementation for mains questions on environment vs. development and tribal rights.

Animal Diseases

Note: Rinderpest’s global eradication (2011) is a key prelims fact. Focus on diseases like FMD and Brucellosis for their economic impact on livestock in India.

Social Forestry and Afforestation

• Social forestry remains vital for meeting fuelwood, fodder, and green manure demands, complementing production forestry. As of 2025, it aligns with the Green India Mission (GIM), targeting 5 million hectares by 2030, though progress is at ~30%.
• Production forestry focuses on industrial plantations, while social forestry targets uncultivated lands and farmlands, supporting:
  • Site and habitat improvement.
  • Production of major/minor forest products, including NTFPs for tribal livelihoods.
• Government schemes include:
  • Mixed plantations on wastelands and panchayat lands.
  • Afforestation of degraded forests and shelter belts.
  • Rural fuelwood plantations, now expanded under Nagar Van Yojana for urban forests.
• The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign (2024–2025) promotes tree planting, complementing the ‘A Tree for Every Child’ program for environmental awareness.
• Agroforestry controls shifting cultivation, allowing cultivators rent-free forest land use for 2–3 years to raise plantations, reducing costs and supporting Bonn Challenge restoration goals (26 million hectares by 2030).
• ISFR 2023 reports India’s forest cover at 21.76% and tree cover at 2.91%, totaling 24.67%, still below the 33% target, with new afforestation drives in 2025.

Note: For UPSC, analyze GIM’s funding issues and the ecological impact of monoculture plantations in mains answers.

Global Vegetation and Climate

Wildlife Conservation

• The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002–2016), revised as the 2017–2031 Plan, provides a framework for wildlife conservation, emphasizing habitat restoration and human-wildlife conflict mitigation.
• As of 2025, India’s protected area network includes 106 national parks and 573 sanctuaries, covering ~5.3% of the geographical area, surpassing the earlier 4.6% target.
• Project Tiger now spans 54 tiger reserves across 17 states, covering ~78,000 sq. km, with 2025 updates on tiger population growth (ISFR 2023).
• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, governs conservation, adopted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir. India’s CITES membership enforces strict trade controls on endangered species.
• Cheetah Reintroduction (Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh) and new efforts in Gandhi Sagar (2024–2025) are key conservation milestones.
• Central government assistance supports:
  • Strengthening national parks/sanctuaries infrastructure.
  • Anti-poaching and illegal trade control.
  • Captive breeding for endangered species.
  • Wildlife education and interpretation.
  • Selected zoo development.
  • Rhino conservation in Assam, with 2025 focus on human-wildlife conflict (e.g., elephant conflicts in Assam).

Note: For UPSC, study Project Tiger, Cheetah Reintroduction, and Biodiversity Act, 2002 amendments (2023) for prelims and mains.

Local and Regional Winds

Note: Memorize key winds (e.g., Nor’ Westerns, Chinook) for prelims geography questions.