In February 2025, Gujarat emerged as the national leader in mangrove afforestation, by planting mangroves across approximately 19,020 hectares at a cost of over Rs 76 crore under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes(MISHTI) scheme.
- Gujarat remains determined to environmental conservation, aligning with the vision of ‘Viksit Gujarat to Viksit Bharat.’ This determination has positioned Gujarat at the leading edge of the Central Government’s MISHTI scheme implementation.
Gujarat as Top Leading State under MISHTI scheme:
i.Gujarat’s mangrove environment is strategically placed, with Kutch leading the charge at 799 square kilometers (sq km).
ii.The Gulf of Kutch covers 236 sq km, which includes the Marine National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as districts like Jamnagar, Rajkot (Morbi), Porbandar, and Devbhoomi Dwarka.
iii.The central and southern Gujarat region, covering Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, and Valsad, has 134 sq. km of mangrove cover, including areas such as the Gulf of Khambhat and Dumas-Ubhrat.
iv.The Saurashtra region, including Amreli, Junagadh, and Gir-Somnath, has a moderate mangrove cover of 6 sq. km.
v.With a 1,650 km-long coastline, Gujarat supports diverse ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrasses.
About Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes(MISHTI) scheme:
i.In 2023, the Government of India(GoI) launched the MISHTI scheme on the occassion of World Environment Day(June 5), to increase mangrove forests across coastal states and Union Territories(UTs), ensuring a sustainable future for both communities and ecosystems.
- The GoI aims to plant 540 sq km of mangroves in five years under ‘MISHTI’ scheme.
- The scheme was implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
ii.The initiative aims to ensure long-term sustainability by expanding mangrove plantations, mapping existing mangrove areas, assessing their geographical and hydrological conditions, establishing nurseries, conducting awareness programs, facilitating training and research, monitoring growth, and promoting ecotourism.
iii.More than 22,500 hectares of degraded mangrove land in 13 states have been restored since its launch to preserve mangroves and the environment.
Mangroves in India:
Mangrove forests serve as an important green barrier by reducing coastal erosion and also promoting fish breeding and sustaining coastal communities. During cyclones, they protect vulnerable regions, curb rising salinity, and protect agriculture.
i.According to the Indian State of Forest Report (IFSR) 2021, India has approximately 4,992 sq. km. of mangrove forests.
ii.Mangroves in India are spread across nine states and three Union Territories (UTs), with West Bengal(WB) having the largest mangrove cover, approximately 2,114 sq. km., followed by Gujarat(1,122 sq km) and Odisha(492 sq km).
