New Delhi: As per the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, the total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometer which is 21.71% of the geographical area of the country. The report was based on the assessment of forest cover conducted by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organisation under the Ministry that undertakes the evaluation of forest cover every two years.
The State/UT wise details of forest cover in the country during the last five years are given in the table below.
The forest and tree cover has increased by 7449 square kilometer as per the assessment in ISFR 2021 in comparison to assessment in ISFR 2017. As there is no loss of forest and tree cover, the question of increase in emission of carbon dioxide due to loss of forest & tree cover does not arise.
The contradiction between India State of Forest Report 2021 and Global Forest Watch data may be due to difference in the definition of forest cover and tree cover adopted in these two reports.
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, was amended through a gazette notification dated 4th August, 2023 and the revised provisions came into effect from 1st December, 2023.The amendments are being implemented to promote the conservation, management and restoration of forests, support ecologically sustainable development, ensure ecological security, preserve cultural and traditional values related to forests and address economic needs while advancing carbon neutrality.
State/UT wise details of Forest Cover from ISFR 2017 to ISFR 2021
(Area in square kilometre)
| State/UT | Geographical Area | ISFR 2017 | ISFR 2019 | ISFR 2021 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1,62,968 | 28,147 | 29,137 | 29,784 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 83,743 | 66,964 | 66,688 | 66,431 |
| Assam | 78,438 | 28,105 | 28,327 | 28,312 |
| Bihar | 94,163 | 7,299 | 7,306 | 7,381 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1,35,192 | 55,547 | 55,611 | 55,717 |
| Delhi | 1,483 | 192.41 | 195.44 | 195 |
| Goa | 3,702 | 2,229 | 2,237 | 2,244 |
| Gujarat | 1,96,244 | 14,757 | 14,857 | 14,926 |
| Haryana | 44,212 | 1,588 | 1,602 | 1,603 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 55,673 | 15,100 | 15,434 | 15,443 |
| Jharkhand | 79,716 | 23,553 | 23,611 | 23,721 |
| Karnataka | 1,91,791 | 37,550 | 38,575 | 38,730 |
| Kerala | 38,852 | 20,321 | 21,144 | 21,253 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,08,252 | 77,414 | 77,482 | 77,493 |
| Maharashtra | 3,07,713 | 50,682 | 50,778 | 50,798 |
| Manipur | 22,327 | 17,346 | 16,847 | 16,598 |
| Meghalaya | 22,429 | 17,146 | 17,119 | 17,046 |
| Mizoram | 21,081 | 18,186 | 18,006 | 17,820 |
| Nagaland | 16,579 | 12,489 | 12,486 | 12,251 |
| Odisha | 1,55,707 | 51,345 | 51,619 | 52,156 |
| Punjab | 50,362 | 1,837 | 1,849 | 1,847 |
| Rajasthan | 3,42,239 | 16,572 | 16,630 | 16,655 |
| Sikkim | 7,096 | 3,344 | 3,342 | 3,341 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1,30,060 | 26,281 | 26,364 | 26,419 |
| Telangana | 1,12,077 | 20,419 | 20,582 | 21,214 |
| Tripura | 10,486 | 7,726 | 7,726 | 7,722 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,40,928 | 14,679 | 14,806 | 14,818 |
| Uttarakhand | 53,483 | 24,295 | 24,303 | 24,305 |
| West Bengal | 88,752 | 16,847 | 16,902 | 16,832 |
| A & N Islands | 8,249 | 6,742 | 6,743 | 6,744 |
| Chandigarh | 114 | 21.56 | 22.03 | 22.88 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman& Diu | 602 | 227.49 | 227.49 | 227.75 |
| Jammu & Kashmir ** | 2,22,236 | 23,241
|
21,358 | 21,287 |
| Ladakh | 2,254 | 2,272 | ||
| Lakshadweep | 30 | 27.10 | 27.10 | 27.10 |
| Puducherry | 490 | 53.67 | 52.41 | 53.30 |
| Grand Total | 3,287,469 | 7,08,273 | 7,12,249 | 713,789 |
** From ISFR 2019 onwards Jammu & Kashmir was divided into two UTs viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.