J&K depts owe Rs 93 cr arrears for forest land compensation

Various state departments owe over Rs 93 crore to Jammu and Kashmir government on account of arrears of forest land being transferred to them.
"Over a sum of Rs 93 crore is pending in this regard. Of this, a sum of Rs 63 crore has been pending between the period of 1990 to 2007," Minister of State for forests Manohar Lal Sharma said in reply to a question from NC MLC Vijay Bakaya in the Legislative Council here.
The Minister, however, said they were pursuing the case and were hopeful of making the recoveries.
Earlier, the land was transferred to various departments, including irrigation and roads, and the payments used to be accepted after transfer of land, Sharma said.

However, now that procedure has been stopped and departments who intend to take the forest land are made to pay the amount in advance, he said.
Total forest area of the state was 20,230 sq km out of which 11,151.75 hectares was diverted to non-forest use, he said.

He said they were targeting an area of 22,000 hectares to be brought under afforestation and have so far succeeded in transforming 13,000 hectares.
Till the end of last year, they had cultivated over 60 lakh plants under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) which was initiated in the state from 2010-2011, he said.

Another 9.18 lakh saplings were planted by Social Forestery Department, State Forest Research Institute and Wild Life Protection Department in last two years, he added.