Coimbatore: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav chaired the 7th Meeting of the Governing Body of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA) at the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS), Coimbatore, on Friday. The meeting reviewed the overall performance of National CAMPA and approved several major initiatives aimed at strengthening compensatory afforestation, forest conservation, biodiversity protection and digital governance across India.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh, senior officials of the Ministry and members of the Governing Body.
Four Major Wildlife Conservation Projects Approved
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the approval of four new wildlife conservation projects recommended by the Executive Committee of National CAMPA.
The Governing Body approved:
- Conservation and Recovery Action Plan for River Dolphins
- Project Snow Leopard Phase-II, including the second cycle of nationwide population estimation
- Conservation Action Plan for the Indian Rhinoceros
- Pan-India Conservation Programme for the Wild Water Buffalo
The Governing Body also approved continued financial support for the conservation of Manipur’s Brow-antlered Deer (Sangai).
The projects are aimed at strengthening species recovery, scientific monitoring and habitat conservation across the country.
Performance of CAMPA Reviewed
The Governing Body reviewed the implementation of:
- Net Present Value (NPV) works.
- Compensatory Afforestation (CA) activities undertaken by States and Union Territories.
- CAMPA funds received, approved and released during 2025-26.
The members also took note of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) audit of National CAMPA’s Annual Accounts for 2024-25, which presented a true and fair view of the authority’s financial position and performance.
Digital Governance Gets a Major Push
The meeting reviewed several technology-driven initiatives introduced by National CAMPA.
Digital Annual Plan of Operations (Digital APO)
The Governing Body appreciated the rollout of the Digital Annual Plan of Operations (Digital APO) for 2026-27.
Under the new system:
- States and UTs will prepare Annual Plans entirely online.
- Proposal submission, verification and approvals will be workflow-based.
- Integrated dashboards will monitor fund utilisation and plantation performance in real time.
To facilitate implementation, five zonal orientation workshops were conducted across the country for State Forest Departments.
Dedicated GIS Lab to Monitor Afforestation
The Governing Body also reviewed the establishment of a dedicated Geospatial Monitoring & Evaluation System (GIS Lab) for National CAMPA.
The technology platform will utilise:
- Satellite imagery.
- GIS-based monitoring.
- Field verification.
The objective is to scientifically monitor compensatory afforestation, NPV-funded works and other CAMPA-supported projects with greater transparency.
Harit-SANKALP Portal Strengthens Nursery Monitoring
The meeting also reviewed progress on the Harit-SANKALP Portal (System for Accreditation, Nursery Knowledge for Afforestation Linkage Platform), developed in consultation with FAO-India.
The portal provides:
- QR code-based traceability of planting material.
- Unique identification of seed sources and nurseries.
- Role-based dashboards from national to range level.
- Real-time Management Information System (MIS) for CAMPA-funded schemes.
The initiative is expected to enhance transparency and improve monitoring of afforestation programmes.
₹500 Crore Boost for MISHTI Programme
The Governing Body approved a major expansion of the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) programme.
Key decisions include:
- Extension of the scheme till 2029.
- Additional allocation of ₹500 crore.
- Overall programme outlay increased to ₹600 crore.
So far:
- ₹88.40 crore has been released.
- Mangrove restoration is underway across six States and Union Territories.
The revised programme will adopt a landscape-based and multi-ecosystem approach to coastal restoration.
Progress Under Nagar Van Yojana
The meeting reviewed the progress of Nagar Van Yojana, under which:
- 652 Nagar Vans and Nagar Vatikas have been developed.
- ₹571.50 crore has been released so far.
The Governing Body urged States and Union Territories to further expand urban forests to improve green spaces in cities.
Green Credit Scheme Receives Support
The Governing Body noted that:
- ₹7.28 crore has been released to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
The funds will support plantation activities under the Green Credit Scheme, promoting expansion of green cover.
₹3,000-Crore Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana Approved
In one of the most significant decisions, the Governing Body approved the Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana.
The new scheme will:
- Have an initial corpus of ₹3,000 crore.
- Run for five years (2026-27 to 2030-31).
- Focus on conserving and restoring nearly 15,000 sacred groves (Aastha Vans) across India.
The initiative aims to preserve culturally significant forest ecosystems while enhancing biodiversity conservation.
New Landscape Restoration Scheme Cleared
The Governing Body also approved a new landscape restoration programme to address:
- Land degradation.
- Biodiversity loss.
- Ecosystem restoration.
The scheme will be financed through the National CAMPA Fund and support ecological restoration across degraded landscapes.
Commitment to Climate Resilience
Concluding the meeting, the Governing Body reaffirmed National CAMPA’s commitment to conserving India’s forests through:
- Technology-enabled governance.
- Scientific monitoring.
- Community participation.
- Biodiversity conservation.
- Climate resilience.
- Sustainable afforestation.
The approved initiatives are expected to strengthen India’s forest ecosystem while supporting long-term ecological security and restoration efforts nationwide.
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