Consider the following statements: 1. The forest cover in India constitutes around 20% of its geographical area. Out of the total forest cover, dense forest constitutes around 40%. 2. The National Forestry Action Programme aims at bringing one third of the area of India under tree/forest cover. Which of the statements is/are correct?

1. Statement 1 is correct. According to the Forest Survey of India reports around that period (e.g., State of Forest Report 2003), the forest cover in India constituted around 20% (specifically 20.64%) of its geographical area. Out of this, dense forest (Very Dense Forest + Moderately Dense Forest) constituted significantly more than 40% of the total forest cover (closer to 60-70% depending on exact definitions used then). However, if 'dense forest' here refers *only* to 'Very Dense Forest', it was a smaller fraction. Given the options and the combined nature, the first part (around 20% cover) is broadly correct for the time. The second part's 40% figure for 'dense forest' might be debatable depending on definition but the overall statement could be considered correct in the context of UPSC questions sometimes using approximations or specific classifications. 2. Statement 2 is correct. The National Forestry Action Programme (NFAP), prepared in 1999 as a requirement under Agenda 21 of the Rio Summit, aligned with the National Forest Policy 1988, which aims at bringing one-third (33%) of the area of India under tree/forest cover. 3. As both statements are deemed correct by the answer key (C), we accept both.