7th Governing Body Meeting of National CAMPA

Why in News?

Recently, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav chaired the 7th Meeting of the Governing Body of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA) at CASFOS, Coimbatore on 10 July 2026.

Major Decisions of the meeting:

• • • The meeting approved a three-year extension of the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) till 2029 with an additional ₹500 crore, increasing the total outlay to ₹600 crore for mangrove restoration and coastal ecosystem conservation.
    • A new Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana was approved with an initial corpus of ₹3,000 crore (2026–31) to conserve nearly 15,000 sacred groves (Aastha Vans) across the country. Another scheme for landscape restoration was approved to combat land degradation and biodiversity loss.

Wildlife Conservation Projects:

• • • The Governing Body approved four major wildlife conservation initiatives:
    • Conservation and Recovery Action Plan for River Dolphins
    • Project Snow Leopard Phase-II, including the second nationwide population estimation
    • Conservation Action Plan for the Indian Rhinoceros
    • Pan-India Conservation Strategy for the Wild Water Buffalo
    • It also approved continued support for the conservation of Sangai (Brow-antlered Deer) in Manipur.

About CAMPA:

• • • CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) is a statutory authority established under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 to manage funds collected when forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes.
    • It was initially constituted in 2002 by the Supreme Court in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India case and became a statutory body after the CAF Act came into force on 30 September 2018.
    • Its primary objective is to ensure ecological compensation by financing compensatory afforestation, forest regeneration, wildlife conservation, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem restoration.
    • The funds are generated through payments made by user agencies towards Compensatory Afforestation (CA), Net Present Value (NPV) of forests, and other forest diversion charges.
    • Under the CAF Act, 90% of the funds are transferred to the State CAMPA, while 10% are retained in the National CAMPA for national-level conservation initiatives.
    • CAMPA funds are utilized for activities such as afforestation, assisted natural regeneration, forest and wildlife management, soil and water conservation, relocation of villages from protected areas, and capacity building.
    • The authority functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and plays a key role in promoting sustainable forest management, ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience across India.

Conclusion:

The decisions taken at the 7th Governing Body Meeting of National CAMPA reflect India's growing emphasis on technology-driven forest governance, ecosystem restoration, and wildlife conservation. By strengthening compensatory afforestation, promoting scientific monitoring, and launching new conservation initiatives, CAMPA continues to play a crucial role in enhancing ecological security, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience while supporting sustainable development.