(a) whether the Union Government has envisaged any alternative means to meet
the demand of States/Union Territories for funds for carrying on compensatory
afforestation works;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action taken by the Union Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI S. REGUPATHY)
(a) to ( c ) Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India has
introduced “The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2008†in the Lok Sabha on 5th May,
2008, which provides for the establishment of a Fund and crediting thereto the monies
received from the user agencies towards compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory
afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, Net Present Value and all other amounts
recovered from such agencies under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; constitution of
an Authority for administration of the Fund and to utilize the monies so collected for
undertaking artificial regeneration (plantations), assisted natural regeneration, protection
of forests, infrastructure development, Green India Programme, wildlife protection and other
related activities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
After creation of the Fund viz. Compensatory Afforestation Fund and
operationalisation of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority
(CAMPA), money will be released to the States and Union Territories including Gujarat.