Mumbai, Oct 26 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday directed officials to complete the rehabilitation of villages located in tiger reserves and other protected areas using funds available under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
He also called for verification of afforestation, soil and water conservation works, undertaken using the funds, through satellite imagery and modern technology.
Fadnavis gave the direction while chairing a meeting of the Maharashtra Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (Maha CAMPA) here, an official release said.
State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik attended the meeting virtually.
The chief minister maintained CAMPA funds could help bring about significant improvements in the lives of people residing in forest conservation reserve areas.
He directed officials to change the existing system for verifying works undertaken under CAMPA to ensure greater transparency, according to the release.
A sample of completed afforestation works should be selected for surveys, and the departments concerned should ensure afforestation, soil and water conservation tasks are carried out with the utmost diligence and completed on time, the CM insisted.
Fadnavis asked officials to seek funds from the Centre for the phased rehabilitation of villages in reserved forest areas under the national CAMPA and follow up on the demand.
He called for engaging contractual employees to meet the staffing requirements of the state-level CAMPA authority and completing the process of opening an account with the Reserve Bank of India for Maharashtra’s reserve fund.
The chief minister asked officials to explore better investment options to earn higher interest on the fund.
He directed that CAMPA funds be used extensively for afforestation under the state’s ambitious campaign to plant 300 crore trees and to bring non-forest land under green cover.
In view of the prevailing drought conditions in 305 talukas, Fadnavis called for effective implementation of grassland development programmes using the funds to ensure adequate fodder availability.
According to the review presented at the meeting, afforestation work has been completed across 1,07,865 hectares under compensatory afforestation.
Between 2019-20 and 2025-26, as many as 562 residential and 83 office buildings were constructed. A total of 62 rest houses for women were also built, while grassland development work was completed across 15,724 hectares, said the release.
The CAMPA funds were used to rehabilitate 55 villages in tiger reserves and other protected areas, it added.
(PTI News)
