India planted 1.78 lakh hectares under CAMPA in 2019-2023; gaps in fund use: Report

New Indian Express

28-07-2025

NEW DELHI: India raised 1,78,261 hectares of compensatory afforestation against a target of 2,09,297 hectares between 2019-20 and 2023-24, achieving 85 per cent of the planned area, the Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee has said in a report.
The report filed earlier this month revealed that utilisation of funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) varies sharply across states.
According to the report, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh recorded full achievement of their targets.
Madhya Pradesh planted 21,746.82 hectares, fully achieving its target of 21,107.68 hectares.
Karnataka also met nearly its entire target, covering 2,761.26 hectares against 2,775.12 hectares.
Arunachal Pradesh planted 20,719.46 hectares against 21,478.03 hectares, achieving 96.6 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh reported 96.4 per cent achievement, planting 5,877.16 hectares against 6,096.7 hectares.
Assam covered 1,149.64 hectares against 1,191.82 hectares, achieving 93.8 per cent.
Sikkim planted 609.52 hectares, achieving 92.3 per cent, while Punjab achieved 4,019.72 hectares against 4,471.94 hectares, about 89.9 per cent.
In contrast, Meghalaya had one of the lowest coverage, achieving only 114.56 hectares against a target of 514.76 hectares or 22.3 per cent.
Manipur planted 666.94 hectares against 1,759.84 hectares, achieving 37.9 per cent.
Kerala covered 171.80 hectares against 433.06 hectares, achieving 39.7 per cent.
West Bengal achieved only 748.25 hectares against 1,911.74 hectares, about 39.2 per cent.
Tamil Nadu planted 84.76 hectares against 262.39 hectares, achieving 32.3 per cent.
Andhra Pradesh reported 3,471.88 hectares against 8,663.46 hectares, covering only 40.1 per cent.
The report also reviewed the use of CAMPA funds during this period.
National CAMPA approved Rs 38,516 crore for state annual plans between 2019-20 and 2023-24.
States released Rs 29,311 crore to their forest departments, of which Rs 26,001 crore was utilised.
This means only 67.5 per cent of the approved outlay was spent.
Utilisation varied widely, with Manipur, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh utilising 100 per cent, 100 per cent and 97.8 per cent of the funds released to them, respectively.
Mizoram reported utilisation above 91 per cent, Sikkim 97.7 per cent, Karnataka 96.6 per cent and Odisha 87.9 per cent.
Chhattisgarh recorded 95 per cent utilisation of the funds released, and Gujarat spent more than it released, utilising 116 per cent due to carryover balances.