New Delhi/Shimla, August 19: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has revised the approval process for CAMPA proposals, making the entire process—from submission to approval—online.
Under the new system, states will upload detailed proposals for works to be undertaken through the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) on the designated portal.
The ministry has also introduced stricter norms for plantation activities. The proposed plantation must be carried out at the exact location mentioned in the approved proposal. The GPS location and map of the site will also have to be uploaded on the portal for online monitoring.
The new system will help authorities verify whether plantation work has been carried out at the approved location.
The ministry has clarified that if plantation is not undertaken at the location specified in the proposal, the expenditure on the work will have to be borne by the state government.
Under CAMPA, agencies using forest land for various projects deposit compensatory amounts, which are utilised for afforestation and related forest development activities as per prescribed guidelines.
Earlier, the Forest Department prepared and sent physical proposals to the Union Ministry for approval. The revised mechanism aims to bring greater transparency, accountability and digital monitoring to the approval and implementation process.
