JAMMU: Giving a financial snapshot of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) as on March 2024, officials revealed during the 25th Steering Committee Meeting that a total of Rs 851.65 crore was available with the department. With an approved outlay of Rs 276.27 crore for the fiscal year 2024–25, and an expenditure of Rs 153.67 crore booked so far, a substantial balance of Rs 727.66 crore remains unutilised.
Chairing the meeting, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo urged the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department to accelerate efforts and achieve set targets within defined timelines. Stressing the ecological imperative, he described forests as “the lungs of the earth” and called for the adoption of modern mapping technologies to identify and rehabilitate highly degraded forest areas.
Over the past 15 years, CAMPA has treated thousands of hectares of forest land across Jammu and Kashmir, backed by a cumulative financial commitment of Rs 1,369.76 crore. The efforts, officials said, have translated into expanding green cover, enhancing biodiversity, and building resilience against climate change.
The Chief Secretary asked for the urgent completion of the installation and digitisation of boundary pillars across the Union Territory to safeguard forest boundaries and enable the creation of digital forest maps. He also sought updates on compensatory afforestation carried out instead of forest land diverted for major hydroelectric projects like Kwar, Kiru, and Ratle.
The meeting approved the Annual Plan Outlay (APO) for 2025–26, totalling Rs 193.72 crore. Of this, Rs 170.47 crore is earmarked for forest sector activities and Rs 23.25 crore for wildlife conservation. Key components include Rs 12.71 crore for Compensatory Afforestation, Rs 7.27 crore for Additional Compensatory Afforestation, Rs 117.96 crore under Net Present Value (Forest), and Rs 23.25 crore under NPV (Protected Areas).
Several critical targets were approved for the upcoming year: 14,680 hectares will be brought under Plantation and Assisted Natural Regeneration, while Soil and Moisture Conservation works will cover 6,468 hectares. Forest Protection—including fencing—will be undertaken across 8,087 hectares. Fire protection measures, including the creation of 2,061 km of firelines, will also be implemented. The department also plans to establish 163 nurseries and plant 1.82 crore saplings, expected to generate over 20 lakh man-days of casual labour.
Commissioner Secretary Sheetal Nanda noted that the Steering Committee plays a key role not only in approving future works but also in monitoring execution and guiding resource utilisation. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Suresh Kumar Gupta shared that robust internal and social audit mechanisms, including monthly and quarterly reviews, have been institutionalised to ensure transparency. Data from 3,410 projects is publicly accessible through the e-Green Watch portal.
CEO CAMPA, T. Rabi Kumar, said third-party evaluations have indicated improving survival rates in afforestation efforts. Between 2012 and 2019, survival stood at 50 per cent, which increased to over 62 per cent between 2019 and 2022. Regionally, Kashmir reported a survival rate of 65.40 per cent while Jammu reported 60 per cent.
The meeting also saw the release of the Annual Asian Waterbird Census 2025, which recorded over 13.43 lakh birds of 67 species across 26 wetlands in Kashmir. The Chief Secretary also launched two new mobile applications for real-time monitoring of CAMPA works and nursery modules, aimed at improving field-level implementation and tracking.
