Apex court steps in, asks states for afforestation plans THE bill that proposed centralized management of funds, collected in lieu of permission to divert forestland to non-forest uses, was defeated in the Rajya Sabha on February 25. Members of the house objected to the bill saying centralized forest fund management goes against the federal system in India. It takes away financial

2000: Intervention application filed before the SC bench hearing forest case of 1995. It pointed out irregularities in compensatory afforestation. March 2002: MoEF drafts scheme for compensatory afforestation. April 2004: CAMPA notification issued but not implemented May 2006: SC directs setting up ad hoc CAMPA. May 5, 2008: CAMPA Bill, 2008, introduced in Lok Sabha

Highlights of the interim budget 2009-2010 Spending on rural economy has reduced by 27% over last year. Spending on agriculture has come down by 44% since last year and stands at 1.64% of gdp against 2.59% last year Spending on education is 0.7% of gdp. The common minimum programme of the upa had promised 6% gdp share for education Public expenditure reduced from 2.59%

How much more money needs to be spent to track turtle trail THE Orissa forest department along with the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun attached transmitters to seven Olive Ridley turtles this year. Last year, the transmitters were on 30 turtles. This practice is carried out to track the movement of the turtles that come to the Orissa coast to breed and nest between November and