Cement Energy and Environment

AFFORESTATION BILL GETS CABINE.T NOD The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015, which paves way for E!Xpeditious utilisation in a transparent manner o·f over Rs 40,000 crore earmarked for forest land tlnat is lying unspent. The Cabinet also decided to allot 59 acres of land to BSF in Maida, West Bengal and start the academic session at the new Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Tirupati. The Cabinet further approv1~d Paris Agreement on climate change and MoU with Bhutan for technical cooperation. "The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval to move official amendments in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015," an official statement said. The legislation will ensure expeditious utilization of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management ancl Planning Authority (CAMPA) which is presently around Rs 40,000 crore. Government introduced the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015 in the Lok Sabha on May 8, 2015. On May 13, 2015, Lok Sabha referred the Bill to the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. On February 26, this year, the Committee submitted its report to the Parliament. The Central Government after examination of the report of the committee proposed to move official amendments in the Bill. Cabinet approved transfer of around 59 acres of land belonging to Farakka Barrage Project to the Border Security Force (BSF) for setting up a battalion centre in West Bengal's Maida district. The land is transferred from the surplus land of the Farakka Barrage Project. Maida is considered a hub of smuggling of fake Indian currency notes and contraband from across the lndo-Bangla border. There are many porous patches along the international border. Large scale protests and clashes were also reported in the area some time back, official sources said. The BSF is deployed in the area to guard the lndo-Bangla border and the land will be used to establish the headquarters of its 4th battalion at Khejuriaghat in Mouza Jagannathpur under the Kaliachak police station in Maida. BSF guards the over 220-km long lndo-Bangla border in Maida and has four battalions deployed here. A senior official said a full-fledged troops' Centre will be developed on the land which will have housing and training facilities for the personnel of the border guiding force. Courtesy: FIMI News Bulletin, Volume XLIX, 01 .05.2016, Pg. No. 20, from internet 74 •