Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill may get RS approval

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Bill that aims to unlock about Rs 40,000 crore of funds for plantations is likely to win Rajya Sabha approval this session as opposition Congress has indicated support to the legislation, a top government functionary said today.
The Bill was approved by the Lok Sabha on May 3 and is pending in the Upper House, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority.
The passage of the legislation will ensure expeditious utilisation of accumulated unspent amount available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), which is of the order of Rs 40,000 crore.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had in the last session of Parliament moved an amendment to the CAF Bill seeking greater participation of gram sabhas in decisions pertaining to the development of forest plantations under the proposed law.
Also, the CPM, the JD-U and the TMC are said to be seeking amendments to the Bill to protect tribal interests.
"The Congress has indicated support for the Bill and the Bill is likely to be passed in the current session," the official said.

The proposed law provides for an institutional mechanism, both at the Centre and in states, to ensure utilisation of the amounts realised from diversion of forest land to non- forest purposes.

As per law, the promoter of a project coming up on forest land needs to deposit an amount with the government for afforestation of non-forest land equal to the land diverted.
Besides, the project proponent also deposits a net present value of the forest in lieu of the non-tangible benefits lost with the loss of forests.
The legislation proposes to establish a National Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) and state-level CAF to credit amounts collected in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purposes.
CAF authorities will be created at the Centre and state level to control and manage these funds. As per the Bill, a monitoring group will also be established to assist the national authority in evaluation of activities undertaken from amounts released from the national CAF and state CAFs.

Besides artificial regeneration (plantations), the Fund is also to be utilised for undertaking assisted natural regeneration, protection of forests, infrastructure development, wildlife protection and other related activities.
The Bill was first introduced in Parliament in 2008 by the previous UPA government. It was passed in the Lok Sabha, but was stalled in the Rajya Sabha in 2009.
The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the official amendments to the Bill in April 2016, which was passed by the Lower House of Parliament on May 3, 2016.