Compensatory Afforestation is one of the most important conditionstipulated by the Central Government while approving proposals for non-forest use of forestland under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It not only compensates loss in the fore st cover and forest land but also ensures that minimum forest land is diverted for unavoidable site specific activities. As a special provision for Central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Compensatory Afforestation is allowed to be raised over degraded forest land double the extent of forest area diverted for non-forestry purposes under the Act.

Keeping in view the National Forest Policy, the NDC targets and the Sustainable Development Goals, the forest land diverted for non-forest purposes must be compensated by equivalent non-forest land. In view of ‘land’ being a State subject the state PSUs and private user agencies are normally required to provide equivalent non-forest land for Compensatory Afforestation.

This information was given by Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change in Lok Sabha today.

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BY/IG