Question raised in Lok Sabha on Decline in Forest Cover, 14/03/2017. Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, a subordinate organization under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has been carrying out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially. The findings of the assessment are published in India State of Forest Report. The latest report in the series is India State of Forest Report 2015. As per this report, the total forest cover of the country is 7, 01,673 square kilometers which is 21.34% of the total geographical area of the country.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Conservation of Endangered Species, 14/03/2017. Census of major flagship species is undertaken at the State-level by the respective State/Union Territory Governments periodically. However census of tiger and elephant is undertaken at the national level once every four and five years respectively. State-wise estimated population of tigers, elephants, rhino and lions, as per the latest census available with the Ministry, is given in the Annexure IA, IB and IC.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Compensation for Damaged Crops under Insurance Scheme, 14/03/2017. While various crop insurance schemes have been under implementation since 1985 however, subsequent to a comprehensive review, National Agricultural Insurance Scheme [(NAIS) (Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana)] was introduced in 1999.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Cleaning of Rivers, 14/03/2017. Pollution abatement of rivers is a continuous and ongoing process. State Governments/ concerned local bodies are responsible for setting up facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage as well as proper disposal of dead bodies for abatement of pollution of rivers. This Ministry has been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers in the country under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants, 14/03/2017. As per a report published by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in March, 2015, the sewage generation from urban areas in the country is estimated at 61,948 million litres per day (mld), against which a sewage treatment capacity of 23,277 mld, or 37% of the sewage generation is available. The State-wise details of sewage generation from urban areas and corresponding sewage treatment capacity available are at Annexure.