A bill on compensatory afforestation was today moved in the Rajya Sabha amid stiff resistance by the opposition which wanted a consensus on it before being brought to the House for consideration and passage.
After the passage of the Child Labour Bill, Environment and Forests Minister Anil Madhav Dave moved 'The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016 amidst protests by the Congress members.
The Bill aims at "unlocking" of nearly Rs 41,000 crore earmarked for forest land which is lying unspent for about four years. The passage of the Bill will ensure expeditious utilisation of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
The members of the opposition party, who wanted to move some amendments to the Bill, said there was no consensus on it and the government should achieve that before the Bill is moved in the House.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, insisted that the Bill was moved as it was in the list of business.
There was a brief war of words between him and Congress leader Anand Sharma.
Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad then said his party did not want to be the "stumbling block" but the government should aim to create consensus by discussing such issues threadbare before it can be brought to the House for passing.
"We should not fight like this. Let us sit across the table and pass this bill unanimously," he said, adding the consultation process to evolve consensus has not been completed.
Minister M Venkaiah Naidu underlined the importance of the Bill, saying its passage would unlock funds to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore for the states.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the Bill should be considered as "moved".
He said the Bill was in the list of business and no objections had reached him earlier and he took up the matter as he had logically moved on to the next item after the Bill on child labour was passed.
The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha in May.
