Rs 38.61-crore compensatory afforestation funds unspent in Assam

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam government was unable to fully spend the funds approved by the government of India for compensatory afforestation, which is intended to offset the loss of forest and tree cover resulting from the diversion of forest lands for non-forest development activities.

From April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026, the central government approved the diversion of 780.36 hectares of forest lands in Assam for various development activities. This necessitated the release of compensatory afforestation funds to Assam. The Centre approved Rs 376.65 crore to the Forest Department, Assam, as a compensatory afforestation amount under the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities (CAMPA) from 2022-23 to 2024-25. Rs 38.61 crore of this amount is unspent as of mid-August, 2026. The expenditure of the compensatory afforestation fund was Rs 130.55 crore in the state in 2022-23, when the Central government had approved Rs 162.57 crore. 

To see how well compensatory afforestation is helping to restore forest ecosystems, the National and State CAMPA check and evaluate these plantations according to the rules on how well compensatory afforestation is working to restore forest ecosystems. The National and State CAMPA monitor and assess these plantations based on the rules set by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016, and the CAF Rules, 2018. The monitoring framework includes internal as well as independent third-party monitoring to assess the implementation, quality and survival of plantations, and the utilization of CAMPA funds.

Compensatory afforestation stipulated under the provisions of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, is undertaken using native species in accordance with the approved Working Plans, and the plantations are systematically and scientifically managed and protected to facilitate restoration of forest ecosystems. The concerned states/UTs also undertake concurrent monitoring to assess the progress and survival of the plantations.

The land for raising compensatory afforestation is identified in accordance with the provisions of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, which provide that compensatory afforestation shall be undertaken over non-forest land or degraded forest land. Accordingly, compensatory afforestation is carried out on land identified and approved as part of the approval granted under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, in accordance with the provisions of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, and the rules and guidelines made thereunder.

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