Amendments in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015

Amendments in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015

Question: Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) will ensure expeditious utilization of accumulated unspent amounts available for which of the following purpose?
(a) To mitigate impact of diversion of forest land
(b) For creation of productive assets and generation of huge employment opportunities in the rural areas
(c) For generation of huge employment opportunities in backward tribal areas
(d) All of The Above
Ans (d)
Related facts:

  • On 20 April 2016 the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval to move official amendments in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015.
  • The legislation will ensure expeditious utilization of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
  • Presently the accumulated unspent amounts available with CAMPA is of the order of Rs.40,000 crore, and fresh accrual of compensatory levies and interest on accumulated unspent balance, which will be of the order of approx. Rs. 6,000 crore per annum, in an efficient and transparent manner.
  • Utilization of these amounts will facilitate timely execution of appropriate measures to mitigate impact of diversion of forest land, utilisation of these amounts will result in creation of productive assets and generation of huge employment opportunities in the rural areas, especially the backward tribal areas.

The following amendments are proposed in Bill:

  • Amendment of clause 2 (e) of the Bill to make the list of environmental services inclusive and to delete some of environmental services for which credible model to assess their monetary value does not exist.
  • Amendment of clauses 2 (I) and 30 (1) of the Bill to provide for prior consultation with States Governments for making rule under the new legislation.
  • Amendment of clause 6 (d) of the Bill to provide for use of monies realised from the user agencies in lieu for forest land diverted in protected areas for voluntary relocation from protected areas.
  • Amendrnent of clause 8 (4) (ii) of the Bill ‘to include Secretaries of Ministries dealing with Space and Earth Sciences as members of governing body of the National Authority.
  • Amendment of clause 8 (4) (x) of the Bill to increase the number of expert members in governing body of National Authority from two to five.
  • Amendment of clause 9 (2) (ix) of the Bill to increase the number of expert members in executive committee of National Authority from two to three.
  • Amendments of clause 11 (2) and 11 (3) of the Bill to include an expert on tribal matters or representative of tribal community as a member in both steering committee and executive committee of a State Authority.
  • It may be recalled that on 13th May, 2015 Lok Sabha referred the Bill to the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment & Forests. On 26th February, 2016 the Committee submitted its report to the Parliament. The government has amended the bill on the basis of this report.

Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=139016
http://pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/amendments-in-the-compensatory-afforestation-fund-bill-2015/?comment=disable