Question : Green Credit Scheme

(a) whether it is a fact that under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, every time forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes such as mining or industry, the project developer is supposed to identify non-forest land of an equal area and also pay for plantation or forests in the land or in its absence, on twice the area of degraded forest land;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is considering a revamp of this scheme with a “Green Credit Scheme”;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the salient features of the “Green Credit Scheme”?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) & (b) As per the provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Government of India accords prior approval for use of forest land for non-forestry purpose. Such approvals are accorded subject to recommendation of the concerned State/UT Government and for unavoidable developmental projects/purposes. While according such approval, it is ensured that such minimum forest area is allowed for non-forestry purpose which is inevitable.
Whenever such approval is accorded, the user agency,inter alia, has to provide non-forest land equal to the forest area approved for non-forest use and has to also bear the cost of raising compensatory afforestation over such area. However, in certain cases, for example, such as where the user agency is Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), it has to bear the cost of raising compensatory afforestation (CA) over degraded forest area equal to double the forest area approved for non-forest use for a Government of India project.Such a provision has been made to compensate the loss of forest area due to developmental projects.

(c) to (e) The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), a statutory body under the provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,in its meeting held on 19.12.2019 has recommended to Government for considering plantations already raised on non-forest lands in lieu of stipulated compensatory afforestation (CA) subject to certain conditions.
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