Around Rs 95,000 crore collected in lieu of forest land diversion till date: Govt

The government has collected Rs 94,843 crore from compensatory levies for forest land diversion, with Rs 26,002.16 crore utilized for afforestation and related activities over the past five years. States need central approval before diverting forest land for non-forest purposes under the Van Adhiniyam, 1980. Exemptions include conservation and management projects for forests and wildlife.