(a) whether the Government has recently announced the constitution of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA);
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the opinion of States was sought in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof and response of the Government thereto;
(e) the areas where funds under CAMPA are to be utilized; and
(f) the manner in which the States are to be provided funds under CAMPA?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) In pursuance of the Supreme Court order dated:30th October 2002 in IA No. 566 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 202 of 1995, the Central Government constituted an authority to be known as Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for the purpose of management of money receivable towards compensatory afforestation, Net Present Value and any other money recoverable in pursuance of the Supreme Court order in this regard and in compliance of the conditions stipulated by the Central Government while according approval under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for non-forestry uses of the forest land.
(c)&(d) As per the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), submitted before the Supreme Court, CEC had heard the States/UTs through their Counsels and there was consensus among the States/UTs for the creation of Compensatory Afforestation Fund.
(e)&(f) The money received for compensatory afforestation is required to be used as per the site specific schemes received from the States/UTs along with the proposals for diversion of forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The money received towards Net Present Value (NPV) is to be used for natural assisted regeneration, forest management, protection, infrastructure development, wildlife protection and management, supply of wood and other forest produce saving devices and other allied activities.
Money realized from the user agencies in pursuance of the Supreme Court orders or decision taken by the National Board for Wildlife involving cases of diversion of forest land in protected areas, is required to be put in a corpus and the income is to be used exclusively for undertaking protection and conservation activities in protected areas of the States/UTs.
CAMPA is required to release the funds to the concerned States/UTs in predetermined instalments through the State Level Management Committee as per the Annual Plan of Operation finalized by the concerned State/UTs.