To maintain ecological balance, the minimum forest cover required is—

Correct answer: (d) 33% of total land

Explanation

According to the National Forest Policy, 1988, in view of the tropical climate, forests are required on at least 33% of India’s total land area (66.67% in hilly regions) to maintain ecological balance. As per the India State of Forest Report–2023 (Forest Survey of India, Dehradun), the country has forest cover and tree cover across 827,356.95 sq km (25.17% of the total geographical area), while forest cover is 715,342.61 sq km, i.e., 21.76% of the total geographical area.