MISHTI Scheme Milestone: 27,000 Hectares of Mangrove Plantation Completed in Kutch

On 14 September 2026, it was reported that mangrove plantation had been completed across 27,000 hectares in Kutch under the Union government's MISHTI scheme, against a state target of 29,000 hectares. MISHTI — Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes — is run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and was launched on 5 June 2023. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav flagged off 33 patrolling and rescue vehicles for wildlife protection and inaugurated the 'Saira Van Kavach' initiative. The item is examinable mainly for the MISHTI scheme's national design and India's mangrove data.

What Happened

It was reported on 14 September 2026 that mangrove plantation had been completed across 27,000 hectares in Kutch under MISHTI, the Union government's mangrove scheme, against a target of 29,000 hectares for the drive. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who was at the site, flagged off 33 patrolling and rescue vehicles for wildlife protection and inaugurated a plantation initiative named 'Saira Van Kavach', which covers 49 plant species across one hectare. Beekeeping activity linked to the plantation was also part of the day's programme.

When & Where

The report is dated 14 September 2026. The plantation site is Kutch, on India's western coast, one of the country's most important mangrove belts. Mangroves grow in the intertidal zone where saline seawater meets fresh water, which is why India's mangrove cover is concentrated along deltas, estuaries and creek systems rather than spread evenly along the coastline.

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change — the nodal ministry for MISHTI.
Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change — flagged off the patrolling and rescue vehicles and inaugurated the 'Saira Van Kavach' initiative.
National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) — provides gap funding with which MISHTI works through convergence.
Coastal State and Union Territory forest departments — the implementing agencies; MISHTI covers 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Forest Survey of India — the body whose India State of Forest Report supplies the mangrove cover figure of 4,991.68 sq km.

How It Works

MISHTI identifies degraded and plantable intertidal stretches across the 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories it covers, with a total target area of 540 sq km.
Saplings of salt-tolerant mangrove species are raised in coastal nurseries and planted in the intertidal zone, where tidal flooding rather than irrigation sustains them.
Funding is not a single dedicated pot. The scheme works through convergence, with gap funding drawn from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority; Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI in financial year 2024-25 to six States and Union Territories.
The "Tangible Incomes" element of the scheme's name is the livelihood component — activities such as beekeeping and fisheries-linked income are built around the restored patches so that local communities gain from keeping them intact.
Progress is measured in hectares planted against a target, which is how the Kutch figure of 27,000 hectares against 29,000 hectares is reported.
The national outcome is tracked through the Forest Survey of India's periodic assessment, which put India's mangrove cover at 4,991.68 sq km in the 2023 report.

Why It Matters

Ecological angle: mangroves stabilise shorelines, trap sediment and act as nursery habitat for fish, so restoring them protects both coastal land and coastal fisheries.
Disaster risk angle: mangrove belts absorb wave energy during cyclones and storm surges, which matters for a country with a long, cyclone-exposed coastline.
Climate angle: mangroves store carbon in both biomass and waterlogged soil, which makes them a high-value restoration target under climate commitments.
Livelihood angle: the scheme is explicitly designed around "tangible incomes", recognising that restoration survives only if local communities benefit from it.
Data angle: at 4,991.68 sq km, mangroves are just 0.15% of India's geographical area, so the resource being protected is small and concentrated.

Historical Background

MISHTI was launched on 5 June 2023, the date observed as World Environment Day, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was designed as a convergence scheme rather than a standalone funded programme, drawing gap funding through the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority. India has also engaged internationally on mangroves: a ministerial meeting of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate was held at the COP28 summit in Dubai, where the Union Environment Minister delivered India's statement. The Forest Survey of India's India State of Forest Report, released on 21 December 2024 for the 2023 assessment, is the reference document for the country's mangrove numbers.

Previous Related Events

5 June 2023: MISHTI was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with a target area of 540 sq km across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
21 December 2024: the India State of Forest Report 2023 was released, recording mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km and total forest and tree cover of 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17% of the geographical area.
Financial year 2024-25: Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry.

Static GK Connection

Mangroves: salt-tolerant forests of the intertidal zone, found along deltas, estuaries and creeks. Their stilt roots and pneumatophores — breathing roots that rise above the waterlogged soil — are the classic textbook identifiers.
India State of Forest Report: the periodic national forest assessment prepared by the Forest Survey of India. The 2023 edition, released on 21 December 2024, is the source for mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km and total forest and tree cover of 25.17% of geographical area.
Compensatory afforestation: the principle that forest land diverted for non-forest use must be compensated by afforestation elsewhere; the fund is administered through the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, which supplies gap funding used by MISHTI.
Convergence as a scheme design: instead of a dedicated budget line, a convergence scheme draws resources from existing programmes and funds. MISHTI is built this way, which is why its financial releases are modest relative to its physical target.
Blue carbon: the carbon stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, including mangroves, in biomass and in waterlogged sediment. This is the concept that links mangrove restoration to climate policy.

India & World Comparison

India's mangroves cover 4,991.68 sq km, equal to 0.15% of its geographical area, as recorded in the India State of Forest Report 2023. That is a small share of national territory but a significant holding in global terms, since mangroves worldwide are confined to tropical and subtropical coasts. India has also taken part in the international Mangrove Alliance for Climate, whose ministerial meeting was held at the COP28 summit in Dubai. A verified global rank for India's mangrove area could not be confirmed from the sources fetched for this item, so no rank is stated here; the comparison is deliberately left qualitative.

Future Impact

The Kutch drive stands at 27,000 hectares against a 29,000-hectare target, so the remaining stretch is the immediate next milestone.
MISHTI's national target of 540 sq km across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories will be measured against the next India State of Forest Report assessment.
Sustaining plantations, not creating them, is the harder task: mangrove survival rates over the years after planting will determine whether the hectare figures translate into actual cover.
The livelihood component — beekeeping and allied activity around restored patches — will decide whether local communities have a continuing reason to protect the plantations.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

Mangrove plantation completed across 27,000 hectares in Kutch under MISHTI.
Target for the drive: 29,000 hectares.
MISHTI = Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes.
Launched on 5 June 2023.
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
MISHTI target area: 540 sq km.
Coverage: 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Rs 17.96 crore released in FY 2024-25 under MISHTI.
Recipient States and UT in FY 2024-25: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Puducherry.
Funding route: convergence with CAMPA gap funding.
India's mangrove cover: 4,991.68 sq km (ISFR 2023).
Mangrove cover as share of geographical area: 0.15%.
India State of Forest Report 2023 released on 21 December 2024.
Total forest and tree cover: 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17% of geographical area.
Forest cover: 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%).
Tree cover: 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%).
Bhupender Yadav flagged off 33 patrolling and rescue vehicles.
'Saira Van Kavach' covers 49 plant species across one hectare.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: Mangrove ecosystems and India's restoration policy

Definition: mangroves are salt-tolerant tree and shrub communities of the intertidal zone, growing where saline seawater mixes with fresh water along deltas, estuaries and creeks.
Scientific principle: mangroves survive waterlogged, saline soil through breathing roots that take in oxygen above the waterline and through stilt roots that anchor them against tidal action.
Policy basis: MISHTI is the Union government's mangrove restoration scheme, run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, working by convergence with gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority.
Link to this event: the 27,000 hectares completed in Kutch is a physical progress figure under this scheme against a 29,000-hectare target.
Origin & History: MISHTI was launched on 5 June 2023, with a target area of 540 sq km spread across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Key milestone 1: the India State of Forest Report 2023, released on 21 December 2024, recorded mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km.
Key milestone 2: Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI during financial year 2024-25 to six States and Union Territories.
Related programmes and forums: compensatory afforestation funding through CAMPA, the Forest Survey of India's periodic assessment, and the international Mangrove Alliance for Climate, whose ministerial meeting was held at COP28 in Dubai.
Nodal Ministry / Body: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the Forest Survey of India providing the measurement.
India-specific relevance: India's long coastline is exposed to cyclones and storm surges, and mangrove belts absorb wave energy, so restoration is disaster risk reduction as much as conservation.
Global comparison: mangroves exist only on tropical and subtropical coasts, so the global stock is limited and each national holding matters; India takes part in the Mangrove Alliance for Climate.
Data point: mangroves make up 0.15% of India's geographical area, against total forest and tree cover of 25.17%, per ISFR 2023.
Common exam angle: the full form of MISHTI, its launch year, its nodal ministry, and the mangrove cover figure from the latest forest report.
Easy memory hook: "MISHTI — Mangroves, Shoreline, Tangible Incomes; 5 June 2023; 540 sq km; 9 States + 4 UTs."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. MISHTI, in the context of India's environment schemes, stands for: [Easy]

A) Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes

B) Marine Initiative for Shoreline Habitat and Tidal Integration

C) Mission for Shoreline Habitats and Tidal Infrastructure

D) Mangrove Institute for Shoreline Habitats and Tourism Income

Answer: A

Explanation: MISHTI is the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Q2. Which ministry is the nodal ministry for the MISHTI scheme? [Easy]

A) Ministry of Jal Shakti

B) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

C) Ministry of Earth Sciences

D) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI is implemented under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Q3. MISHTI was launched on which date? [Moderate]

A) 22 April 2023

B) 5 June 2023

C) 2 October 2023

D) 21 December 2024

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI was launched on 5 June 2023; 21 December 2024 is the release date of the India State of Forest Report 2023.

Q4. As per the India State of Forest Report 2023, India's mangrove cover is: [Moderate]

A) 4,991.68 sq km

B) 8,27,357 sq km

C) 7,15,343 sq km

D) 1,12,014 sq km

Answer: A

Explanation: Mangrove cover is 4,991.68 sq km, which is 0.15% of India's geographical area; the larger figures are total forest and tree cover, forest cover and tree cover.

Q5. MISHTI covers how many coastal States and Union Territories? [Moderate]

A) 7 States and 2 Union Territories

B) 11 States and 2 Union Territories

C) 9 States and 4 Union Territories

D) 13 States and 4 Union Territories

Answer: C

Explanation: The scheme covers 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories, with a target area of 540 sq km.

Q6. Under MISHTI, funding is arranged mainly through: [Tricky]

A) A dedicated central budget head with full central funding

B) Convergence, with gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority

C) Loans from multilateral development banks

D) Corporate social responsibility contributions alone

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI is a convergence scheme; gap funding is drawn from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority.

Q7. As per the India State of Forest Report 2023, India's total forest and tree cover as a share of geographical area is: [Tricky]

A) 21.76%

B) 3.41%

C) 0.15%

D) 25.17%

Answer: D

Explanation: Total forest and tree cover is 25.17%, made up of forest cover at 21.76% and tree cover at 3.41%; 0.15% is the mangrove share.

Q8. In financial year 2024-25, funds released under MISHTI went to which of these? [Tricky]

A) Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry

B) Only West Bengal and Odisha

C) All 28 States

D) Only the four Union Territories covered by the scheme

Answer: A

Explanation: Rs 17.96 crore was released in FY 2024-25 to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The India State of Forest Report is prepared by which organisation?

A) National Biodiversity Authority

B) Forest Survey of India

C) Wildlife Institute of India

D) Botanical Survey of India

Answer: B

Explanation: The Forest Survey of India prepares the report; the 2023 edition was released on 21 December 2024.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements about the MISHTI scheme:

It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It was launched in 2023.
Its target area is 540 sq km.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: D

Explanation: All three are correct — the scheme is run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was launched on 5 June 2023, and has a target area of 540 sq km.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): Mangrove restoration is treated as a disaster risk reduction measure in India, not only as a conservation measure.

Reason (R): Mangrove belts absorb wave energy along the coast, reducing the force of storm surges on inland areas.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

Explanation: The wave-energy absorption property of mangrove belts is precisely why coastal mangrove restoration is counted as protection against storm surges, alongside its ecological value.

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Explain why mangrove restoration is treated as both an ecological and an economic intervention in India, using the design of the MISHTI scheme.

Mangrove restoration in India is deliberately designed as an economic intervention as well as an ecological one, and the MISHTI scheme's own name carries the point: Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes.

Ecologically, mangroves stabilise shorelines, trap sediment, serve as fish nurseries and absorb wave energy during storm surges. India's mangrove stock is small — 4,991.68 sq km, or 0.15% of the geographical area as recorded in the India State of Forest Report 2023 — which makes each restored hectare significant.

Economically, the scheme builds livelihood activity such as beekeeping and fisheries-linked income around restored patches. This matters because plantation drives fail when local communities have no stake in protecting what is planted.

The Kutch progress of 27,000 hectares against a 29,000-hectare target shows the physical side of that design. The durable test will be survival rates over the following years, not the planting figure itself.

Question 2 (250 words): Critically examine India's institutional approach to mangrove restoration, with reference to the MISHTI scheme's design, funding and measurement.

India's approach to mangrove restoration is institutionally economical but financially thin, and the MISHTI scheme illustrates both characteristics.

On design, the scheme is coherent. Launched on 5 June 2023 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, MISHTI sets a target area of 540 sq km across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories. That geographic spread matches where India's mangroves actually are, since the ecosystem is confined to deltas, estuaries and creek systems rather than distributed along the whole coast. The livelihood component built into the scheme's name reflects a sound lesson from earlier afforestation efforts: restoration without community benefit does not survive.

On funding, the picture is weaker. MISHTI is a convergence scheme rather than a separately funded programme, drawing gap funding through the national compensatory afforestation authority. The release of Rs 17.96 crore in financial year 2024-25 across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry is modest relative to a 540 sq km physical target. Convergence keeps administrative costs low but leaves the pace of work dependent on other funding streams.

On measurement, progress is reported in hectares planted — the Kutch drive stands at 27,000 hectares against 29,000 — while the outcome that matters is standing cover, captured only in the Forest Survey of India's periodic assessment, which recorded 4,991.68 sq km in the 2023 report.

The way forward is to publish survival-rate data alongside plantation figures, so that the gap between hectares planted and hectares surviving becomes visible and correctable.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse MISHTI's full form with other coastal schemes. The correct fact is that MISHTI stands for Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, and it is run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that mangrove cover and total forest cover are reported on the same scale. The reality is that as per the India State of Forest Report 2023, mangrove cover is 4,991.68 sq km, or 0.15% of geographical area, while total forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17%.
Trap 3: Many students miss that MISHTI is a convergence scheme. Always remember that its resources come through gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority rather than from a single dedicated central allocation.

🧭 Exam Tip

Prelims: memorise the full form of MISHTI, the launch date 5 June 2023, the nodal ministry, the 540 sq km target, the 9 States and 4 Union Territories coverage, and the mangrove figure of 4,991.68 sq km from ISFR 2023.
Mains: use this in GS-III answers on coastal ecosystems, disaster risk reduction and community-based conservation; the analytical point is the gap between hectares planted and hectares that survive.
Interview: expect questions on why mangroves matter for cyclone protection and on whether convergence schemes can deliver large physical targets; a balanced answer noting the funding constraint is expected.
Prediction: a Prelims question on the full form and nodal ministry of MISHTI, or a statement-based question pairing mangrove cover with the latest forest report, is highly likely in the coming cycle.

MISHTI Scheme Milestone: 27,000 Hectares of Mangrove Plantation Completed in Kutch

What Happened

When & Where

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change — the nodal ministry for MISHTI.
Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change — flagged off the patrolling and rescue vehicles and inaugurated the 'Saira Van Kavach' initiative.
National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) — provides gap funding with which MISHTI works through convergence.
Coastal State and Union Territory forest departments — the implementing agencies; MISHTI covers 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Forest Survey of India — the body whose India State of Forest Report supplies the mangrove cover figure of 4,991.68 sq km.

How It Works

MISHTI identifies degraded and plantable intertidal stretches across the 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories it covers, with a total target area of 540 sq km.
Saplings of salt-tolerant mangrove species are raised in coastal nurseries and planted in the intertidal zone, where tidal flooding rather than irrigation sustains them.
Funding is not a single dedicated pot. The scheme works through convergence, with gap funding drawn from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority; Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI in financial year 2024-25 to six States and Union Territories.
The "Tangible Incomes" element of the scheme's name is the livelihood component — activities such as beekeeping and fisheries-linked income are built around the restored patches so that local communities gain from keeping them intact.
Progress is measured in hectares planted against a target, which is how the Kutch figure of 27,000 hectares against 29,000 hectares is reported.
The national outcome is tracked through the Forest Survey of India's periodic assessment, which put India's mangrove cover at 4,991.68 sq km in the 2023 report.

Why It Matters

Ecological angle: mangroves stabilise shorelines, trap sediment and act as nursery habitat for fish, so restoring them protects both coastal land and coastal fisheries.
Disaster risk angle: mangrove belts absorb wave energy during cyclones and storm surges, which matters for a country with a long, cyclone-exposed coastline.
Climate angle: mangroves store carbon in both biomass and waterlogged soil, which makes them a high-value restoration target under climate commitments.
Livelihood angle: the scheme is explicitly designed around "tangible incomes", recognising that restoration survives only if local communities benefit from it.
Data angle: at 4,991.68 sq km, mangroves are just 0.15% of India's geographical area, so the resource being protected is small and concentrated.

Historical Background

Previous Related Events

5 June 2023: MISHTI was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with a target area of 540 sq km across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
21 December 2024: the India State of Forest Report 2023 was released, recording mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km and total forest and tree cover of 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17% of the geographical area.
Financial year 2024-25: Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry.

Static GK Connection

Mangroves: salt-tolerant forests of the intertidal zone, found along deltas, estuaries and creeks. Their stilt roots and pneumatophores — breathing roots that rise above the waterlogged soil — are the classic textbook identifiers.
India State of Forest Report: the periodic national forest assessment prepared by the Forest Survey of India. The 2023 edition, released on 21 December 2024, is the source for mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km and total forest and tree cover of 25.17% of geographical area.
Compensatory afforestation: the principle that forest land diverted for non-forest use must be compensated by afforestation elsewhere; the fund is administered through the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, which supplies gap funding used by MISHTI.
Convergence as a scheme design: instead of a dedicated budget line, a convergence scheme draws resources from existing programmes and funds. MISHTI is built this way, which is why its financial releases are modest relative to its physical target.
Blue carbon: the carbon stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, including mangroves, in biomass and in waterlogged sediment. This is the concept that links mangrove restoration to climate policy.

India & World Comparison

Future Impact

The Kutch drive stands at 27,000 hectares against a 29,000-hectare target, so the remaining stretch is the immediate next milestone.
MISHTI's national target of 540 sq km across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories will be measured against the next India State of Forest Report assessment.
Sustaining plantations, not creating them, is the harder task: mangrove survival rates over the years after planting will determine whether the hectare figures translate into actual cover.
The livelihood component — beekeeping and allied activity around restored patches — will decide whether local communities have a continuing reason to protect the plantations.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

Mangrove plantation completed across 27,000 hectares in Kutch under MISHTI.
Target for the drive: 29,000 hectares.
MISHTI = Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes.
Launched on 5 June 2023.
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
MISHTI target area: 540 sq km.
Coverage: 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Rs 17.96 crore released in FY 2024-25 under MISHTI.
Recipient States and UT in FY 2024-25: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Puducherry.
Funding route: convergence with CAMPA gap funding.
India's mangrove cover: 4,991.68 sq km (ISFR 2023).
Mangrove cover as share of geographical area: 0.15%.
India State of Forest Report 2023 released on 21 December 2024.
Total forest and tree cover: 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17% of geographical area.
Forest cover: 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%).
Tree cover: 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%).
Bhupender Yadav flagged off 33 patrolling and rescue vehicles.
'Saira Van Kavach' covers 49 plant species across one hectare.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: Mangrove ecosystems and India's restoration policy

Definition: mangroves are salt-tolerant tree and shrub communities of the intertidal zone, growing where saline seawater mixes with fresh water along deltas, estuaries and creeks.
Scientific principle: mangroves survive waterlogged, saline soil through breathing roots that take in oxygen above the waterline and through stilt roots that anchor them against tidal action.
Policy basis: MISHTI is the Union government's mangrove restoration scheme, run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, working by convergence with gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority.
Link to this event: the 27,000 hectares completed in Kutch is a physical progress figure under this scheme against a 29,000-hectare target.
Origin & History: MISHTI was launched on 5 June 2023, with a target area of 540 sq km spread across 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories.
Key milestone 1: the India State of Forest Report 2023, released on 21 December 2024, recorded mangrove cover of 4,991.68 sq km.
Key milestone 2: Rs 17.96 crore was released under MISHTI during financial year 2024-25 to six States and Union Territories.
Related programmes and forums: compensatory afforestation funding through CAMPA, the Forest Survey of India's periodic assessment, and the international Mangrove Alliance for Climate, whose ministerial meeting was held at COP28 in Dubai.
Nodal Ministry / Body: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the Forest Survey of India providing the measurement.
India-specific relevance: India's long coastline is exposed to cyclones and storm surges, and mangrove belts absorb wave energy, so restoration is disaster risk reduction as much as conservation.
Global comparison: mangroves exist only on tropical and subtropical coasts, so the global stock is limited and each national holding matters; India takes part in the Mangrove Alliance for Climate.
Data point: mangroves make up 0.15% of India's geographical area, against total forest and tree cover of 25.17%, per ISFR 2023.
Common exam angle: the full form of MISHTI, its launch year, its nodal ministry, and the mangrove cover figure from the latest forest report.
Easy memory hook: "MISHTI — Mangroves, Shoreline, Tangible Incomes; 5 June 2023; 540 sq km; 9 States + 4 UTs."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. MISHTI, in the context of India's environment schemes, stands for: [Easy]

A) Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes

B) Marine Initiative for Shoreline Habitat and Tidal Integration

C) Mission for Shoreline Habitats and Tidal Infrastructure

D) Mangrove Institute for Shoreline Habitats and Tourism Income

Answer: A

Explanation: MISHTI is the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Q2. Which ministry is the nodal ministry for the MISHTI scheme? [Easy]

A) Ministry of Jal Shakti

B) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

C) Ministry of Earth Sciences

D) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI is implemented under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Q3. MISHTI was launched on which date? [Moderate]

A) 22 April 2023

B) 5 June 2023

C) 2 October 2023

D) 21 December 2024

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI was launched on 5 June 2023; 21 December 2024 is the release date of the India State of Forest Report 2023.

Q4. As per the India State of Forest Report 2023, India's mangrove cover is: [Moderate]

A) 4,991.68 sq km

B) 8,27,357 sq km

C) 7,15,343 sq km

D) 1,12,014 sq km

Answer: A

Explanation: Mangrove cover is 4,991.68 sq km, which is 0.15% of India's geographical area; the larger figures are total forest and tree cover, forest cover and tree cover.

Q5. MISHTI covers how many coastal States and Union Territories? [Moderate]

A) 7 States and 2 Union Territories

B) 11 States and 2 Union Territories

C) 9 States and 4 Union Territories

D) 13 States and 4 Union Territories

Answer: C

Explanation: The scheme covers 9 coastal States and 4 Union Territories, with a target area of 540 sq km.

Q6. Under MISHTI, funding is arranged mainly through: [Tricky]

A) A dedicated central budget head with full central funding

B) Convergence, with gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority

C) Loans from multilateral development banks

D) Corporate social responsibility contributions alone

Answer: B

Explanation: MISHTI is a convergence scheme; gap funding is drawn from the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority.

Q7. As per the India State of Forest Report 2023, India's total forest and tree cover as a share of geographical area is: [Tricky]

A) 21.76%

B) 3.41%

C) 0.15%

D) 25.17%

Answer: D

Explanation: Total forest and tree cover is 25.17%, made up of forest cover at 21.76% and tree cover at 3.41%; 0.15% is the mangrove share.

Q8. In financial year 2024-25, funds released under MISHTI went to which of these? [Tricky]

A) Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry

B) Only West Bengal and Odisha

C) All 28 States

D) Only the four Union Territories covered by the scheme

Answer: A

Explanation: Rs 17.96 crore was released in FY 2024-25 to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The India State of Forest Report is prepared by which organisation?

A) National Biodiversity Authority

B) Forest Survey of India

C) Wildlife Institute of India

D) Botanical Survey of India

Answer: B

Explanation: The Forest Survey of India prepares the report; the 2023 edition was released on 21 December 2024.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements about the MISHTI scheme:

It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It was launched in 2023.
Its target area is 540 sq km.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: D

Explanation: All three are correct — the scheme is run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was launched on 5 June 2023, and has a target area of 540 sq km.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): Mangrove restoration is treated as a disaster risk reduction measure in India, not only as a conservation measure.

Reason (R): Mangrove belts absorb wave energy along the coast, reducing the force of storm surges on inland areas.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

Explanation: The wave-energy absorption property of mangrove belts is precisely why coastal mangrove restoration is counted as protection against storm surges, alongside its ecological value.

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Explain why mangrove restoration is treated as both an ecological and an economic intervention in India, using the design of the MISHTI scheme.

Question 2 (250 words): Critically examine India's institutional approach to mangrove restoration, with reference to the MISHTI scheme's design, funding and measurement.

India's approach to mangrove restoration is institutionally economical but financially thin, and the MISHTI scheme illustrates both characteristics.

The way forward is to publish survival-rate data alongside plantation figures, so that the gap between hectares planted and hectares surviving becomes visible and correctable.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse MISHTI's full form with other coastal schemes. The correct fact is that MISHTI stands for Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, and it is run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that mangrove cover and total forest cover are reported on the same scale. The reality is that as per the India State of Forest Report 2023, mangrove cover is 4,991.68 sq km, or 0.15% of geographical area, while total forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17%.
Trap 3: Many students miss that MISHTI is a convergence scheme. Always remember that its resources come through gap funding from the national compensatory afforestation authority rather than from a single dedicated central allocation.

🧭 Exam Tip

Prelims: memorise the full form of MISHTI, the launch date 5 June 2023, the nodal ministry, the 540 sq km target, the 9 States and 4 Union Territories coverage, and the mangrove figure of 4,991.68 sq km from ISFR 2023.
Mains: use this in GS-III answers on coastal ecosystems, disaster risk reduction and community-based conservation; the analytical point is the gap between hectares planted and hectares that survive.
Interview: expect questions on why mangroves matter for cyclone protection and on whether convergence schemes can deliver large physical targets; a balanced answer noting the funding constraint is expected.
Prediction: a Prelims question on the full form and nodal ministry of MISHTI, or a statement-based question pairing mangrove cover with the latest forest report, is highly likely in the coming cycle.