New Delhi,8 May:The Ministry of Environment & Forests proposes to take up plantation over 6 million hacters of degraded forests of the Country in two phases in the next 10 years. An estimated rate is about Rs. 1 lakh for 3 hacters of land. The money collected under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMAPA) will be used for these programmes. This has been known as ‘Green India’ Programme.
In the first phase, 3 million hacters of the degraded forest land will be taken up for afforestation from the year 2008 which will require about Rs. 10,000 crores. For this CAMPA will provide initially Rs. 3,000 crores followed by 1,000 crore per year for 4 years out of the annual accruals in Compensatory Afforestation Funds (CAF). The interest bearing CAF shall be placed under Public Account under the control of the Central Government and managed by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in the manner prescribed by the Central Government.The remaining funds will be mobilized from the market, development partner association, carbon credits, income from tree felling at ecologically appropriate intervals to augment funds, and service debts, if any.
The money collected under CAMPA will be mainly used for site specific skins approved for taking up compensatory Afforestation, Artificial Regeneration -Plantation, Natural Assisted Regeneration, Forest Management, Protection, Infrastructure, Development, Wild Life Protection and Management. These activities besides greening the Country would also help in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.
The CAF shall consist of receipts of all monies from the User Agencies towards Compensatory Afforestation, Net Present Value of forest land diverted for non-forestry purpose, Additional Compensatory Afforestation, Penal Compensation Afforestation, Catchment Area Treatment Plan or for compliance of any other condition(s) stipulated by the Central Government while according approval under the Forest (Conservation), Act, 1980. The CAF shall also receive funds recoverable from the User Agencies in cases where forest land diverted falls within National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuaries, for undertaking activities related to protection of biodiversity and wildlife.
