Centre eases guidelines, allows govt and private entities to restore forests without compensatory costs

The Centre issued a circular to all states on January 2 to this effect, following a recommendation from the ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee in its December 2 meeting. During its deliberations, the FAC had noted that plantations raised in line with prescriptions of the working plan, and with the primary objective of restoring forest land, cannot be construed as entirely commercial or non-forestry activities.

The FAC also noted that the existing guidelines require alignment with the evolving framework for restoration of forest land. It said that harmonising the guidelines with the GCP will ensure “clarity in applicability in both government and non-government entities, facilitate wider participation in afforestation and restoration activities, and strengthen ecological sustainability while maintaining and compliance with Forest (Conservation) Act and its amendments.”

The ministry said in its circular that assisted natural regeneration activities undertaken in accordance with provisions of forest working plans with either government or non-government entities will be deemed as forestry activities. Thus, requirements of compensatory afforestation and payment of net present value will not apply to such activities.

The ministry added that such afforestation should be allowed by states after preparing a detailed project report in consonance with provisions of a working plan and after approval by a competent authority. Further, the state governments will also be at liberty to devise a framework to utilise such plantations and for revenue sharing from their use, on a case-to-case basis.

Under the country’s forest conservation law, the assignment or leasing of forest land requires prior approval from the Centre. While forest department plantations qualify as forestry activities, the guidelines under the law did not provide the same regime for plantations raised by other government entities and non-government entities.

However, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X that the Narendra Modi-led government had bulldozed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act in 2023, and added that it had been pointed out that the amendments opened the door for privatisation of forest management. “This is exactly what has happened – as evidenced from the circular…this is just the beginning,” he said.