CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority)
Why in news?
- Recently the Union Environment Ministry transferred ₹47,436 crore to 27 States for afforestation. Odisha, the top recipient of funds has got nearly ₹6,000 crore followed by Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Kerala got the least with ₹81.59 crore.
- The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF):
- It seeks to establish the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund under the Public Account of India, and a State Compensatory Afforestation Fund under the Public Account of each state.
- It extends to the whole of India.
- The payments into the funds include compensatory afforestation, Net present value (NPV), reforestation and any project specific payments.
- e. to collect funds from user agencies—any person, organization, company or department of the central or state government making a request for diversion or de-notification of forest land for non-forest purposes.
- The National Fund will get 10% of funds collected and the remaining 90% will go to respective State Fund.
- The act also seeks to establish National and State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities (CAMPA) to manage the funds.
- The determination of NPV will be delegated to an expert committee constituted by the central government.
CAMPA
- To solve certain discrepancies in the implementation of compensatory afforestation, the Hon’ble Supreme Court ordered for setting up CAMPA in 2009 as National Advisory Council under the chairmanship of the Union Minister of Environment & Forests.
- Objectives:
- CAMPA are meant to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for forest land diverted to non-forest uses.
- National CAMPA Advisory Council has the following mandate:
- Lay down broad guidelines for State CAMPA.
- Facilitate scientific, technological and other assistance that may be required by State CAMPA.
- Make recommendations to State CAMPA based on a review of their plans and programmes.
- Provide a mechanism to State CAMPA to resolve issues of an inter-state or Centre-State character.
- The State CAMPA would receive funds collected from user agencies towards compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, NPV and all other amounts recovered from such agencies under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
- The State CAMPA would utilize the funds collected for undertaking compensatory afforestation, assisted natural regeneration, conservation and protection of forests, infrastructure development, wildlife conservation and protection and other related activities.
- Its prime task would be regenerating natural forests and building up the institution engaged in this work in the State Forest Department.
- An independent system for concurrent monitoring and evaluation of the works implemented in the States utilizing the funds to be made available
