Lok Sabha Question No. 997 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Government Nominations to NCCF
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:  997

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.09.2020

## Government Nominations to NCCF

## 997.   SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  nominated  one  of  its  nominees  from  Environment, Agriculture and Commerce Ministries in the governing board of Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF), if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Ministry has included the officials connected with NCCF/GICIA in any of its committees and other bodies, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Ministry  has  written  to  the  States  recommending  to  engage  NCCF  for certification of the Government forests;
- (d) the  quantum of funds that have been  granted/sanctioned by the Central  or other  States CAMPA including Uttarakhand CAMPA for certification related matters to NCCF and its sister organization GICIA; and
- (e) whether the Government  has taken a decision to proceed with certification of Government forests even as India is a net importer of timber, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  had  nominatedthe  Deputy Inspector General of Forests, Survey and Utilization Division in the Governing Body of Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF) on 01 August, 2018. As per information received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Joint Secretary  of  RFS/NRM  Division  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  Cooperation  & Farmers'  Welfare  has  been  nominated  on  23  June,  2015.  As  per  information  received from the Ministry of Commerce & Industries, considering SPS/TBT issues involved, the concerned  Deputy  Secretary  dealing  with  SPS  and  TBT  matters  was  nominated  in  the year 2017 to attend meetings of NCCF. However, no official from Trade Policy Division, Department of Commerce, has been nominated to the Governing Board of NCCF.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has withdrawn its representative from the Governing Body of NCCF on 04 August, 2020.

- (b) At present no official from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is connected with NCCF/GICIA.
- (c) The Ministry has written to States/UTs for initiating  forest certification  in  some  forest divisions on a voluntary basis to promote sustainable forest management indicating that NCCF has developed India specific standards and has offered their assistance in forest certification in India.
- (d) No fund from Central CAMPA or Uttarakhand State CAMPA hasbeen granted/sanctioned for certification related matters to NCCF or GICIA.
- (e) The Government has not taken any decision to proceed with certification of Government forests.  However,  forest  certification  and  development  of  certification  standards, inter alia ,  is  one  of  the eligible  activities under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018.

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