Centre scraps plan to bring changes to Forest Act

On 15 Nov, the Union Environment Ministry withdrew a draft amendment that proposed updates to the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Activist groups and some State governments have opposed this proposed law. The Indian Forest Act, 2019, was envisaged as an amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and an effort to address contemporary challenges to the country’s forests.   The draft legislation also proposes a forest development cess of up to 10% of the assessed value of mining products removed from forests, and water used for irrigation or in industries. This fund will be utilized for reforestation and forest protection, and conservation.