Assam Environment and Forest Department Surrenders Rs 164.02 Crore

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Environment and Forest Department had to surrender funds amounting to Rs 164.02 crore under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) in 2020–21 for not being able to utilise them.

According to the 2023-24 report of the Departmentally Related Standing Committee on Development (A) Departments of the Assam Legislative Assembly, under SOPD (State Owned Priority Development) schemes, the department could spend Rs 338.87 crore against the allocation of Rs 528.33 crore in 2019-20, Rs 163.94 crore against the allocation of Rs 438.52 crore in 2020-21, and Rs 591 crore against the allocation of Rs 770.66 crore in 2021-22.

According to the report, the forest cover in the state is 36.09 percent. The thrust areas of the department are conservation of rich biodiversity areas; eviction from forest land and erection of boundary pillars in vulnerable areas; conservation and management of protected area networks; arresting the degradation of forests; and reversing the trend by reforestation. To achieve these goals, the department receives funds under the SOPD schemes.

To increase forest cover and conserve biodiversity, the Assam Project on Forest Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC) and CAMPA have been underway since 2019. However, the department could not spend the amount in full. So much so that the department had to surrender Rs. 164.02 crore from the CAMPA fund in 2020–21.

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