RS clears afforestation funds bill

A much awaited bill to unlock an over Rs 42,000 crore fund for compensatory afforestation and wildlife protection has been passed by Parliament with the Rajya Sabha approving it on Thursday after the government's assurance that the rules to be framed would safeguard the interests of forest dwellers and tribals.
Lok Sabha had passed the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) bill during the budget session in May . The bill, once it gets assent from the President, will also create an institutional mechanism for use of fresh accrual of an estimated Rs 6,000 crore per annum (over the Rs 42,000 crore lying unspent till now) that would be collected for diversion of forest land for non-forest use in future. Environment minister Anil Dave assured opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha that the government would take care of their concerns, and not compromise the rights of tribals, with their consent being taken for afforestation and related works under the existing law. “The provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act are also powerful enough to ensure that forest rights and the consent of gram panchayats are respected,“ said Dave, adding that deficiencies that could emerge would be addressed after the lapse of a year.
On Wednesday , Congress MP and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh had raised concerns on behalf of his party with the apprehension that the legislation would ignore the rights of forest dwellers under the Forest Rights Act of 2006. But disputing this, BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav said on Thursday: “This government wants to ensure that the country's green cover grows and the rights of those living in forests are protected. This fund will be spent in a transparent manner.“ Among the states, Odisha will get the highest amount of Rs 5,996 crore from the Rs 42,000 crore fund, which means the state has seen maximum diversion of forest land for non-forest use.
Any user agency which diverts forest land for a non-forest purpose is, at present, required to deposit the prescribed amount to an ad-hoc central body . This amount is to be utilized to mitigate the impact of diversion of forest land. The ad-hoc body , the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), is the custodian of the accumulated amount of Rs 42,000 crore as of now. The legislation is also aimed at setting up the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund at Centre and the State Compensatory Afforestation Funds.