The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (38 of 2016) receives President’s assent on the 3rd August, 2016. The object of the Act is to provide for the establishment of funds under the public accounts of India and the public accounts of each State and crediting thereto the monies received from the user agencies towards compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory afforestation, net present value and all other amounts recovered from such agencies under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; constitution of an authority at national level and at each of the State and Union territory Administration for administration of the funds and to utilise the monies so collected for undertaking artificial regeneration (plantations), assisted natural regeneration, protection of forests, forest related infrastructure development, Green India Programme, wildlife protection and other related activities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Act is further divided into 33 Sections in 6 Chapters. Chapter 2 of the Act deals with Establishment, Management and Utilisation of National Compensatory Afforestation Fund and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds; Chapter 3 deals with Constitution of National Authority And State Authorities; Chapter 4 deals with Powers And Functions Of National Authority And State Authorities; Chapter 5 deals with Finance, Accounts, Audit And Annual Report and Chapters 6 deals with Miscellaneous.
Ministry of Law and Justice