FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1: What is Compensatory Afforestation?

Ans1: As per Section 2(d) of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, ‘Compensatory Afforestation’ means afforestation done in lieu of the diversion of forest land for non-forestry use under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

Q2: What is the vision of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority?

Ans2: National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority envisions rebuilding and enriching forests and biodiversity through compensatory afforestation, re-afforestation and restoration for enhancing life sustaining ecosystem services.

Q3: Which are the permissible activities under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 and Rules, 2018?

Ans3: The various permissible activities under CAMPA are:

1. Compensatory Afforestation
2. Penal compensatory afforestation
3. Any additional compensatory afforestation
4. Catchment Area Treatment Plan
5. Integrated Wildlife Management Plan
6. Net Present Value
7. Others

For details refer the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 and Rules, 2018.

Q4: Enlist the non-permissible activities under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 and Rules, 2018?

Ans4: The monies released as compensatory levies under sub-rule (1) of the CAF Rules, 2018 shall not be used for following activities, namely:

1. payment of salaries, travelling allowances, medical expenses, etc to regular, contractual or casual employees of the State Forest Department for implementing programmes in various forest divisions undertaken from State Fund;
2. undertaking foreign visits;
3. payment of legal services for defending cases filed in Tribunals or Courts not relating to the management of State Authority;
4. purchase of vehicles or staff cars for officers and heavy vehicles and machines for the State Forest Department for implementing programmes in various forest divisions undertaken from the State Fund;
5. construction of residential and office buildings for officers above the Forest Range Officer of the State Forest Department for implementing programmes in various forest divisions undertaken from the State Fund;
6. leasing, hiring and purchase of land for afforestation purposes;
7. purchase of furniture, office equipment, fixtures including air conditioners, and generator sets for residences and offices of the State Forest Department for implementing programmes in various forest divisions undertaken from the State Fund;
8. mandatory afforestation as per the working plan in the forest in blanks created by commercial felling of trees for revenue generation undertaken under working plan prescription;
9. undertaking forest and wildlife conservation and other activities undertaken under other schemes of the Government for the purpose of part financing of scheme for completing left over works or complementary works of such schemes;
10. establishment, expansion and upgradation of zoo and wildlife safari;
11. providing financial support, either by way of grant or equity to existing or for setting up new forest corporations, boards, etc.

Q5: What is the organisational structure of National CAMPA?

Ans5: The National Authority comprises of Governing Body, Executive Committee and Monitoring Group. The State Authorities have their respective Governing Body, Steering Committee and Executive Committee in each State and Union Territory. There are 34 State & UT CAMPA Authorities constituted in States and Union Territories.

Q6: What is the purpose of the nursery portal?

An6: The nursery portal aims at consolidating the information about saplings available in forest nurseries of various States/UTs with the local people interested to procure the saplings. The portal will act as a single point of information and management information system of forest nurseries across the country for the benefit of the people.

Q7: Give the objective of the CAF Act, 2016.

An7: The CAF Act, 2016 provide for the establishment of funds under the public accounts of India and the public accounts of each State and crediting thereto the monies received from the user agencies towards compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, net present value and all other amounts recovered from such agencies under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; constitution of an authority at National level and at the level of each of the State and Union Territory Administration for administration of the funds and to utilise the monies so collected for undertaking compensatory afforestation, artificial regeneration (plantations), assisted natural regeneration, protection of forests, forest related infrastructure development, Green India Programme, wildlife protection and other related activities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Q8: When was the CAF Act, 2016 and Rules, 2018 enacted? Further provide the notifications/ official gazettes under which the State CAMPA authorities have been created.

Ans8: The Compensatory Afforestation Act, 2016 (CAF Act, 2016) was enacted on 3rd August, 2016. The CAF Rules, 2018 were notified on 10th August, 2018. The CAF Act and Rules came into effect from 30.09.2018. The notifications/official gazettes under which the State CAMPA authorities have been formed can be reference from Notifications icon in the menu bar in the home page this official website of National Authority.

Q9: What is meant by National Authority?

Ans9: As per Section 2(h) of the CAF Act, 2016, National Authority means National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority constituted under Section 8 of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 and Rules, 2018.

Q10: What is meant by “environmental services”?

Ans10: As per Section 2(e) of the CAF Act, 2016, “environmental services” includes:

1. provision of goods such as wood, non-timber forest products, fuel, fodder, water and provision of services such as grazing, tourism, wildlife protection and life support;
2. regulating services such as flood moderation, carbon sequestration and health of soil, air and water regimes;
3. supporting such other services necessary for the production of ecosystem services, biodiversity, nutrient cycling and primary production including pollination and seed dispersal.

Ques11: What is “user agency”?

Ans11: As per Section 2(p) of the CAF Act, 2016, “user agency” means any person, organisation or company or department of the Central Government or State Government making a request for diversion or de-notification of forest land for non-forest purpose or using forest land for non-forest purpose in accordance with the provisions contained in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the rules made and guidelines issued, thereunder.

Ques12: What is meant by “Annual Plan of Operations”?

Ans12: “Annual Plan of Operation” means the annual plan for physical Activities and financial provisions approved by the National Authority or State Authority as the case may be, which describes milestones, conditions for success and explains how, a strategic annual plan will be put into operation during the financial year in given budgetary term, and containing inter alia, brief description, estimated cost, basis for cost estimation, agency identified for execution and time schedule of each Activity to be executed from State Fund during a year;