Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022

Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 provides for setting up of committees such as Advisory Committee Project Screening Committee, Regional Empowered Committees and afforestation measures.

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Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 in News

Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in Rajya Sabha informed about various features of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022.
He also provided clarifications regarding various features of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022.

Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022

About: It is conferred by Section 4 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and in supersession of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003.
Key Provisions: Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 provides for setting up of following-
- Advisory Committee
- Project Screening Committee
- Regional Empowered Committees

Key Features of Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022

Advisory Committee: It defines the role of the Advisory Committee which consists of 6 members including a chairman. It is restricted to advise or recommend with regards to-
- Grant of approval under relevant sections in respect of proposals referred to it and
- Any matter connected with the conservation of forests referred to it by the Central government.
Project Screening Committee: It is a five member body that is to be constituted in each state/UT for an initial review of proposals involving diversion of forest land. It will meet twice a month and advise state on following-
- All non-mining projects between 5-40 hectares must be reviewed within a period of 60 days and all such mining projects must be reviewed within 75 days.
- For larger projects, committee gets 120 days for non-mining projects involving more than 100 hectares and 150 days for mining projects.
Regional Empowered Committees: It will examine all the linear projects (e.g. roads, highways, etc) involving land up to 40 hectares and the use of forest land up to 0.7 canopy density.
Compensatory Afforestation: the applicants will be able to take up compensatory afforestation in other states/UTs where the cover is less than 20%.in following cases-
- Diversion of forest land in a hilly or mountainous state with green cover covering more than two-thirds of its geographical area, or
- Diversion of forest land in a state/UT with forest cover covering more than one-third of its geographical area.

Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980- Key Provisions

About: Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980 was enacted by the parliament to control the ongoing deforestation of the forests of India.
- Forest Conservation Act is the principal legislation that regulates deforestation in India.
Key Objectives: Forest Conservation Act, 1980 aims-
- To protect the forest including its flora, fauna and other diverse ecological components while preserving the integrity and territory of the forests.
- Facilitate the growth of forest biodiversity
- Prevent conversion of forest land into non-forested activities like agricultural, grazing or for any other commercial purposes and intentions.
Key Features: key features of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980 are as follows-
- Forest Conservation Act (FCA) makes the central government the main authority to achieve the objectives of the Act.
- Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980 makes provisions for punishment for violation of the Act.
- Establishes an advisory committee to help the central government with regard to forest conservation.
- Under the provisions of this Act, prior approval of the Central Government is required for the diversion of forestlands for non-forest purposes.
- Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980 deals with four categories of forests- reserved forests, village forests, protected forests and private forests.