Government has formulated a policy for doling out thousands of crores to states under an ambitious afforestation programme, and fund distribution is expected to be done by the end of this month once the Supreme Court gives its final verdict on the matter.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said the matter regarding distribution of CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) funds was pending before the Supreme Court and government has already submitted its policy to it which will enable the states to get 95 per cent of the total Rs 35,000 crore corpus under the fund.
"Under compensatory afforestation, we have in the last 12 years collected Rs 35,000 crores. The matter is in court and we hope that this month only we will decide on distribution of CAMPA funds as the Supreme Court is expected to give its final decision," Javadekar told a press conference convened to narrate the initiatives taken by his ministry in the first 100 days of the NDA government.
"We have made a comprehensive scheme for compensatory aforestation. We have submitted our policy to the Supreme Court. States will get more money," the Minister said.
He, however said, once the funds are made available, the state governments should adhere to the commitments made by them on afforestation and not divert funds.
"We have set an ambitious target of increasing the forest cover in the country," he said.
The Ministry said in a release that with the approval of Cabinet, Draft CAMPA Order, 2014 containing provisions for transfer of an amount of 95 per cent of Rs 35,000 crorers accumulated with the ad hoc CAMPA to inalienable non-lapsable, interest bearing fund to be created under Public Accounts of the respective States/ UTs has been filed before the Supreme Court for their approval before the same is published in the official gazette.
Amounts to be realised in future in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purpose will also be credited directly to the said fund.
Five per cent funds will be retained by the National CAMPA for the purposes of monitoring and evaluation of schemes implemented in the states, and setting up of institutes, societies, centre of excellence in the field of forest and wildlife.
