Summary
The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 was enacted to establish the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to manage and utilize the amounts realized for compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, net present value of forest land and other project specific payments. The Act provides for the creation of a National Compensatory Afforestation Fund and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds under the public accounts of India and the States, respectively, to receive funds collected towards compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, net present value of forest land and other project specific payments. The Act lays down the provisions for the composition, functions and powers of the National CAMPA, State CAMPA and the Joint CAMPA, and the utilization of the funds by these authorities. The Act also provides for the constitution of an expert committee for monitoring and evaluating the activities of the CAMPA. The Act seeks to ensure that the funds collected are used for afforestation and other related activities to compensate for the loss of forest land caused by various development projects.
