The Congress and its leaders are positioning themselves as Indian Greta Thunbergs – Loud, dramatic & lacking substance. Hyperventilating over the Supreme Court order regarding the Aravalli, the Congress, led by the Gandhis, is crying hoarse about Rajasthan – Home to the largest portion of the Aravallis.
But a closer look at metric after metric proves that not only has Rajasthan’s forest cover grown the fastest when the Congress is out of power, so has the state’s wildlife, including its tiger population.
This report highlights the same points.
The truth about Rajasthan’s green cover (2001-2023)
The official source for forest cover data in India is the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR) by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).
Data from the Forest Survey of India reveal a striking contrast between the UPA era (2004-2014) and the NDA era (2014-present).
While one decade was marked by stagnation and decline, the other brought enhanced green cover to the desert.
Let’s look at the numbers.👇
📉 The UPA era(2004-2014): A lost decade
Under the UPA, Rajasthan’s environment paid the price for policy paralysis. Look at the ISFR data:
❌ 2007: Forest cover actually shrank by 51 sq km.
❌ 2011: A pathetic increase of just +1 sq km.
For 10 years, there was barely any momentum. The total net growth from 2003 to 2013 was a mediocre 268 sq km.
🚀 The NDA turnaround (2014-2023)
Enter 2014. The data shows an immediate shift in gear.
The report explicitly states: “Significant gains occurred post-2013 due to afforestation, plantations, and conservation.”
The results?
✅ 2017: A massive, historic jump of +466 sq km in a single assessment period!
✅ 2019 & 2021: Continued upward trajectory.
📊 Side-by-side comparison
Let’s look at the net impact:
🐢 UPA(10Years): Struggled to add 250 sq km.
🐅 NDA (9 Years): Added a whopping 462 sq km (Net change 2013-2023)
The NDA government nearly DOUBLED the speed of green cover expansion compared to the UPA’s tenure.
💧 How was this achieved?
As noted in the report, success came from:
🌿 Canal irrigation in arid areas
🌿 Targeted plantations
🌿 Strict conservation
⚠ The 2023 reality check
The 2023 data shows that the overall forest cover stands at 16,548 sq km, which is significantly higher than the 16,086 sq km left behind by the UPA in 2013.
🐅 Not Just Trees, Look at the Tigers!
The UPA era is synonymous with the Sariska Shame.
❌ 2005: Tigers VANISHED from Sariska (literally in the laps of the Aravallis). The state hit a shocking low of 18 tigers.
❌ 2014: Left behind a mere 45 tigers.
Enter NDA:
✅ 2023: Rajasthan smashed the Century Mark (102).
✅ 2025: Now at 140+!
From “Zero in Sariska” to “Managing Surplus”, this is what decisive leadership looks like.
Conservation Reserves are vital “buffer zones” and corridors. The difference in notifying them is stark:
🐢 UPA (2004-14): Late start (1st notified only in 2008). Total notified: 10.
🚀 NDA (2014-25): Aggressive expansion. Notified 26 new reserves! The total is now 37+.
From Tigers to Leopards, Blackbucks to Crocodiles, Birds to Sloth Bears, everyone was looked after under NDA. And this goes beyond tokenism; this is true fauna conservation of the Aravali.
The verdict
The numbers silence the “Indian Greta” theatrics.
- Forests: Stagnation under UPA 🆚 Historic Jump (+466) under NDA.
- Tigers: Extinction (0 in Sariska) 🆚 Boom (140+).
- Reserves: Apathy (10) 🆚 Aggressive Expansion (37+).
While Congress offers loud drama over the Aravallis, the NDA delivered quiet execution. Environmental protection requires political will, not political performance.
