Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill moved in Rajya Sabha amid row

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016 was on Tuesday moved in the Rajya Sabha amid protests by the Congress which demanded a consensus on it before it was brought to the house.

The bill, which will ensure expeditious utilisation of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), was moved by Environment and Forests Minister Anil Madhav Dave in the upper house soon after it passed a law on child labour.

The protesting members said there was no consensus on the bill and the government should achieve that first.

Anand Sharma of Congress had war of words with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who wanted the Bill to be moved as it was in the list of business of the house.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said the Bill should be considered as moved.

The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha in May.

--IANS

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