Amendments in Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill 2015 - (20 Apr 2016)

MANU/PIBU/0384/2016

Environment

The Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill 2015, including updates to the list of environmental services, increased State participation and changes to composition of the National and State Authorities envisaged.

Introduced in 2015, the Bill was the government’s response to rampant deforestation in the country to cater for ‘developmental needs’. As its name suggests, the Bill provides for afforestation activities by setting up bodies to essentially act as ‘treasurers’ in disbursing funds for the same. The ‘National Compensatory Afforestation Fund’ will accept funds from States, collected in lieu of deforestation activity, which will then be disbursed for the conservation and development of forests.

Tags : AFFORESTATION NATIONAL FUND BILL 2016