'Rs 9.91crore spent in Gujarat's Tapi under CAMPA project in two years'

Gandhinagar (The Uttam Hindu): The Gujarat Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Mukesh Patel, said on Tuesday in the Assembly that reforestation work covering 855 hectares in Tapi district has been carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme over the past two years at a cost of Rs 9.91 crore.

He also added that the Central government has transferred a total of Rs 2,349.12 crore to the Gujarat State CAMPA fund under various components.

Providing further details, the Minister said that in the Financial Year 2023-24, reforestation of 190 hectares was conducted in Tapi district at a cost of Rs 2.11 crore, with 1.74 lakh saplings planted and a survival rate of 89.04 per cent.

This initiative resulted in the generation of 27,368 man-days of employment, he added.

Similarly, in 2024-25, an expenditure of Rs 7.80 crore was incurred for afforestation of 665 hectares, where 5.77 lakh saplings were planted, achieving an improved survival rate of 96.38 per cent, Union Minister Patel said.

This year's efforts led to the creation of 98,372 man-days of employment, he added.

Discussing the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Union Minister Patel emphasised that prior approval from the Central government is mandatory for converting forest land for non-forest use.

In compliance with the Act's provisions, compensatory afforestation costs, Net Present Value (NPV) charges as per Supreme Court directives, and penalties for violations in specific proposals are collected from user agencies, the Minister said.

According to Minister Patel, the National CAMPA has allocated funds to Gujarat under different categories, including Rs 997.24 crore for compensatory afforestation, Rs 6.72 crore for Catchment Area Treatment Plans, Rs 12.79 crore for Wildlife Management Plans, Rs 1,191.53 crore for Net Present Value (NPV), Rs 54.64 crore as interest earnings, and Rs 86.20 crore under other expenditures.

In total, Rs 2,349.12 crore has been transferred to Gujarat State CAMPA to facilitate forest conservation, afforestation, and environmental protection measures, he said.