State Governments to work accordingly to get additional incentives by increasing their green cover
Green cover in States
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government has asked State Governments to work accordingly to get additional incentives by increasing their green cover;
(b) if so, the details of guidelines and instructions issued to increase the green cover in States;
(c) whether Government has received reports that few States have diverted money from compensatory afforestation funds for other purposes; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and steps taken to check such diversion?
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
Besides, the funds are released under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to States/UTs for carrying out afforestation activities, which increase green cover. Government of India has disbursed an amount of Rs.47, 872.31 crore from National Fund to 30 State/ UTs as share of respective states as per Compensatory Fund Act, 2016.
The Ministry has also advised all States/UTs to put in place a sound mechanism for coordination and monitoring of tree plantation programme to achieve the stated goals.
(c) & (d) No such report of diversion of money from compensatory afforestation funds for other purposes has been received from any of the States. However, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 provides adequate safeguards to ensure effective and proper utilization of funds. The Section 27 of the Act provides for maintenance of accounts and other relevant records by the State Authority which shall be audited by CAG. In addition, Section 16 of the Act provides for concurrent and third party monitoring and evaluation of works implemented in the States/UTs, from the funds released by National and State Authorities to ensure transparency and accountability and to ascertain proper use of funds.
Further, States have also been advised to use compensatory afforestation funds as an additional resource for plantation and forest management activities and it should not be treated as substitute to the State budget.