Bhupender Yadav Launches Rs 537 Crore JICA-Supported Forest Management Capacity Project

28 September 2026National

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the Capacity Enhancement for Effective Forest Management Project in New Delhi, implemented with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The seven-year project runs from 2025-26 to 2031-32 and covers all States, with a total outlay of ₹537.10 crore — ₹440.42 crore from JICA and ₹96.68 crore from the Government of India. It aims to strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of forest departments in management planning, monitoring and restoration. Separately, JICA signed a USD 150 million loan agreement with IIFL Home Finance to expand affordable housing finance for low-income women.

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JICA is Japan's official development assistance agency, established in 1974 and headquartered in Tokyo | India's forest and tree cover was 25.17% of geographical area as per the India State of Forest Report 2023 | The Forest Survey of India, set up in 1981, is headquartered at Dehradun

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