India Restores 22 Million Hectares of Degraded Land During 2011-2020

Key facts

• India restored nearly 22 million hectares of degraded and deforested land during the 2011-2020 period.
• The restoration efforts generated approximately 1.2 billion person-days of employment during the same period.
• Telangana restored the maximum degraded area of 4.2 million hectares, followed by Madhya Pradesh (3.8 million ha) and Odisha (2.6 million ha).
• Restoration methods included afforestation, water resource management, sustainable farming practices, agroforestry, mangrove restoration, and natural regeneration.
• India's Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas shows that 97.8 million hectares, or 29.8% of the country's geographical area, are affected by land degradation and desertification.
• Around 82% of India's degraded land is concentrated in nine states/UTs, including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Telangana.