Last Updated on March 10, 2026 9:26 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
ADITYAA RAAJ DAS
UNION Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, has said that the Modi government has moved forward on the basis of environmentally balanced development across the country in the last 10 years.
Replying to a debate on the working of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Rajya Sabha today, Mr Yadav said, when the Government came in 2014, the protected areas in the country were 757. He said, in 2026, the number of protected areas have gone up to one thousand 1034.
The Minister said there were 103 national parks in the country in 2014, and it is 106 now. He said that wildlife sanctuaries in 2014 were 539, and it has now gone up to 574. Mr Yadav said the community reserves in 2014 were just 48 and now have reached 309. He said 70 per cent of the wild tigers are in India now. The Minister said, tiger population in India in 2014 was two thousand 226, and now it is three thousand 682.
He said there were 47 tiger reserves in the country, which have gone up to 58. Similarly, there were 26 Elephant reserves in 2014, and it has increased to 33 now. Mr Yadav said the lion population in Africa is going down, but in India it is increasing. He said the lion population in 2014 was 523, and it has now reached to 891. The Minister informed that there are six thousand 327 river dolphins in the country. He said forest cover in the country in 2013-14 was seven lakh one thousand 673 square kilometres, and in 2021-22 it has reached seven 15 lakh thousand 342 square kilometres.
Earlier today, participating in the discussion, Neeraj Dangi of Congress raised the issue of Aravalli, alleging that illegal mining has affected the mountain range.