Parliament has passed the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016 with the Rajya Sabha approving it today. The bill provides for establishment of funds at the Centre and State levels for compensatory afforestation. The states will get 42 thousand crore rupees for afforestation and related activities under the new legislation. It also has a provision for setting up of authorities both at the national and state levels for administration of funds and utilization of funds by the user agencies to undertake plantations, protection of forests and forest-related infrastructure development.<br/><br/>Replying to a debate on the Bill, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said, Odisha will get maximum amount of around six thousand crore rupees out of this fund. He assured the Congress members that their demands of involvement of Gram Sabhas and local representatives while spending the fund will be incorporated in the rules. He said, Clause 6 of the Bill has the provisions of consultation with Gram Sabhas in the areas where Scheduled Tribes and other traditional dwellers are living. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha earlier.