Executive Summary:
This document contains the response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216 regarding compensatory afforestation for urban infrastructure projects, answered on August 4, 2025. It addresses whether projects were completed without compensatory afforestation, details of afforestation plans, and the utilization of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund. The document includes a statement and an annexure detailing the status of compensatory afforestation from FY 2020-21 to 2024-25.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Forest Diversion Approvals:**
* The Central Government provides prior approval for forest land diversion for non-forestry purposes under the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980.
* Diversion is allowed with mitigation measures, including compensatory afforestation.
* **Compensatory Afforestation Requirements:**
* Compensatory afforestation must start within two years of the forest land diversion order, as per the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Rules, 2023.
* Respective States/UTs are primarily responsible for carrying out, maintaining, and monitoring compensatory afforestation and other afforestation works, including those in urban areas, and for maintaining the record of such plantations.
* **Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016:**
* The CAF is utilized by States/UTs to compensate for the loss of forest and ecological services due to forest land diversion.
* State Authorities prepare Annual Plans of Operations (APOs) for utilizing State CAMPA funds, as per the CAF Act, 2016.
* States/UTs submit APOs annually to the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority for approval.
* **Compensatory Afforestation Status (FY 2020-21 to 2024-25):**
* The annexure provides data on compensatory afforestation, in hectares, for each State/UT over the last five fiscal years.
Impact Analysis:
* **Central Government:**
* Impact: Responsible for granting approvals for forest land diversion and overseeing the implementation of compensatory afforestation through the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority.
* Action Required: Ensure adherence to the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980 and CAF Act, 2016 in approving projects and monitoring fund utilization.
* **State Governments/Union Territories:**
* Impact: Primarily responsible for carrying out, maintaining, and monitoring compensatory afforestation, as well as utilizing the Compensatory Afforestation Fund.
* Action Required: Initiate compensatory afforestation within two years of diversion orders, maintain records of plantations, prepare and submit Annual Plans of Operations (APOs), and utilize CAMPA funds as per the CAF Act, 2016.
* **Implementing Agencies (for Urban Development Works):**
* Impact: Required to submit afforestation plans as part of project approvals and ensure compliance with compensatory afforestation requirements.
* Action Required: Prepare and submit detailed afforestation plans and adhere to the guidelines for compensatory afforestation as set by the Central and State/UT governments.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Shri Harish Chandra Meena: Member of Parliament who raised the starred question.
Shri Bhupender Yadav: The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 1980: An Indian law concerning forest conservation and management, cited as the basis for prior approval for forest land diversion.
Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Rules, 2023: Rules related to the Forest Conservation Act, mandating compensatory afforestation within two years of forest land diversion.
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016: An Indian law establishing a fund for compensatory afforestation activities.
National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority: The authority responsible for approving Annual Plans of Operations related to compensatory afforestation.
OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 216
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects
216*. SHRI HARISH CHANDRA MEENA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether certain urban infrastructure projects were completed without carrying out
compensatory afforestation in violation of forest diversion guidelines;
(b) if so, the prescribed number of seedlings planted along with the time limit granted
therefor and the details of the steps taken including penalty received by the
Government in case of violation of said guidelines;
(c) whether the Government maintains a record of afforestation plans submitted by the
implementing agencies for urban development works; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)
(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.
***Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred
Question No. 216 to be answered on 04.08.2025 on “Compensatory
Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects” by Shri Harish Chandra
Meena”
(a) & (b) The Central Government accords prior approval under Van (Sanrakshan Evam
Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 for diversion of forest land for non-forestry
purposes including infrastructure projects.
The diversion of forestland is allowed with adequate mitigation measures and
the raising of Compensatory Afforestation is an essential condition to be
complied by the respective States/UTs. As per the provisions under the Van
(Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules,2023, the work of compensatory
afforestation has to start within two years of issue of order of diversion of the
corresponding forest land.
Further, the work of Compensatory Afforestation or other afforestation works
including those in urban areas is carried out by the respective State/UT which
has the primary responsibility of maintaining and monitoring such plantations.
The record of such plantations is maintained by the respective State/UT.
(c) & (d) The Compensatory Afforestation Fund is utilized by the States/UTs for
compensating the loss of forest and its ecological services, due to diversion of
forest land for various non-forest purposes as per the provisions of
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF Act, 2016).
The State Authorities constituted under the CAF Act, 2016 prepare the Annual
Plan of Operations (APOs) for the utilization of their State CAMPA funds as
per the laid down provisions of the CAF Act,2016 and the Rules made there
under.
States/UT authorities submit Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) every year for
approval to National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and
Planning Authority. The status of Compensatory Afforestation (CA) for last
five years is attached as Annexure.
***Annexure
Annexure referred to the Part (c) & (d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 216
due for answer on 04.08.2025 asked by Shri Harish Chandra Meena regarding “
Compensatory Afforestation for Urban Infrastructure Projects”.
Compensatory Afforestation from FY 2020-21 to 2024-25
Area (in ha.)
S. No. State/UT 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Andaman &
1. 0 0 36.56 95.47 132.03
Nicobar Islands
2. Andhra Pradesh 500.91 485.11 708.54 311.12 3471.88
3. Arunachal Pradesh 1793.93 11608.44 4458.67 2858.42 20719.46
4. Assam 652.578 114.5 0 382.56 1149.64
5. Bihar 1661.51 0 0 1321.09 3171.67
6. Chandigarh - 0.79 0.18 - 0.97
7. Chhattisgarh 2963.34 1541.69 465.2 467.74 7039.23
8. Delhi 47.54 23.02 72.06 37.34 179.96
9. Goa 200 200 299 470 1209
10. Gujarat 1019.85 3646.72 4584.53 2004.94 14103.32
11. Haryana 1240.06 1870.22 1608.86 Nil 5012.91
12. Himachal Pradesh 876 899 885 888 4073
13. Jammu & Kashmir 3545 306 1360.71 262.08 6434.79
14. Jharkhand 2734.49 3324.86 3202.83 2789.84 15739.27
15. Karnataka 188.03 522.77 715.01 720.29 2761.26
16. Kerala 11.7 42.84 0 117.26 171.8
17. Ladakh - - - - 21746.82
18. Madhya Pradesh 3892.66 3585.66 3457.22 5301.66 4316.74
19. Maharashtra 633.57 218.351 182.27 544.384 666.94
20. Manipur 666.94 0 0 0 114.56
21. Meghalaya Nil Nil 114.56 0 2570.24
22. Mizoram 1236.5 1303.78 29.96 Nil 0
23. Odisha 3802.2 3501.45 4632.86 1628.66 16964.78
24. Punjab 311.99 644.995 800.38 940.38 4019.72
25. Rajasthan 2147.85 808.52 444.79 1365.4 7377.15
26. Sikkim 106.04 183.98 94.67 53.19 609.52
27. Tamil Nadu 0 0 82.57 0 84.76
28. Telangana 4178.16 2490.07 2052.71 551.12 13686.57
29. Tripura 182.8 391.86 566.4 669.85 2295.23
30. Uttar Pradesh 1136.58 1091.43 1604.68 1288.6 5877.16
31. Uttarakhand 2325.61 2738.62 2448.71 1697.24 11812.89
32. West Bengal 122.42 282.03 106.17 139.92 748.25