Gujarat has recorded the highest number of approvals for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes in the country over the past five financial years, according to data tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
In a written reply to an unstarred question by Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh on February 5, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated that Gujarat cleared 1,560 proposals under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2025 the highest among all states and union territories.
Haryana followed with 1,424 approvals, Uttar Pradesh with 1,188, Punjab with 1,067, and Madhya Pradesh with 902. Across the country, a total of 10,026 proposals were approved during the five-year period, while only 120 were rejected.
Responding in the Upper House, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh said that 97,050.30 hectares of forest land were diverted for non-forestry purposes between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
“The process of granting approval under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, is continuous. The central government, following the prescribed statutory approval process, takes prompt decisions on proposals that are complete in all respects,” the minister said.
While Gujarat topped in terms of the number of approvals, it was not the highest in terms of area diverted. The state saw 6,850.11 hectares of forest land diverted during the period. Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest diversion by area at 24,346.96 hectares, followed by Odisha at 12,875.94 hectares.
Gujarat’s year-wise diversion figures were:
• 1,891.10 hectares in 2020-21
• 1,714.47 hectares in 2021-22
• 1,474.30 hectares in 2022-23
• 537.19 hectares in 2023-24
• 1,233.05 hectares in 2024-25
Roads and Mining Lead Diversion
Nationally, road construction accounted for the largest share of forest land diversion at 22,233.44 hectares. Mining and quarrying projects followed at 18,913.64 hectares, while hydel and irrigation projects accounted for 17,434.38 hectares.
Other major uses included:
• Power transmission lines: 13,859.31 hectares
• Defence activities: 6,041.96 hectares
• Railways: 5,957.68 hectares
Additional categories included drinking water supply (1,281.29 hectares), rehabilitation projects (1,508.55 hectares), petrol pumps (1,926.86 hectares), optical fibre cables (391.13 hectares), and pipelines (669.38 hectares).
Forest Cover Debate
The ministry maintained that India’s overall forest and tree cover has increased over the past decade. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), forest and tree cover rose from 789,979 square kilometres in 2013 to 827,357 square kilometres in 2023.
However, concerns were raised in the Rajya Sabha by MP Rajeev Shukla, citing data from the US-based Global Forest Watch platform, which estimates India’s forest cover at around 440,000 square kilometres roughly 15 per cent of the country’s geographical area suggesting a decline.
The ministry rejected that interpretation, stating that Global Forest Watch uses different definitions and parameters that do not reflect India’s ecological and socio-economic context. It emphasised that FSI assessments are based on wall-to-wall remote sensing combined with extensive ground verification and National Forest Inventory data.
Government Initiatives
To support forest conservation and expansion, the government highlighted several ongoing schemes, including the National Mission for a Green India, Nagar Van Yojana, the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, forest fire prevention programmes, and the nationwide plantation campaign titled Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.
The data underscores the balancing act between developmental needs and environmental conservation, as infrastructure and industrial projects continue to require forest land diversion even while official figures indicate an overall rise in forest and tree cover.