Dehradun: The CAMPA fund, often in the spotlight for financial irregularities in CAG reports, has now become a testament to governmental inefficiency. The Forest Department has managed to spend only 36.79 percent of its budget in the financial year 2025-26 so far. With just three months left to utilize the remaining funds, the department faces a daunting task. It seems improbable in the current scenario to spend over 60 percent of the budget in the remaining time, especially when less than 40 percent was spent in the first nine months.
Approximately 70 percent of Uttarakhand’s land is covered by forests, making the Forest Department’s role critically important. The state receives significant annual funding from the central government for activities such as afforestation, wildlife conservation, reducing human-wildlife conflicts, developing infrastructure in forests, and promoting eco-tourism. However, the effective utilization of this budget is now under scrutiny, as revealed by the latest figures from the CAMPA fund (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority). Under CAMPA, states receive special funds for forest land conservation and development projects, ensuring that essential work isn’t hindered by financial shortages. Yet, in Uttarakhand, governmental sluggishness appears to be impeding the proper use of this vital fund.
Despite nine months of the financial year 2025-26 having passed, the Forest Department has failed to spend even 40 percent of the CAMPA fund. According to the data, Uttarakhand was allocated a total of 25,336.69 lakh rupees, or about 253 crore rupees, under CAMPA this year. In contrast, only 9,321.43 lakh rupees, or around 93 crore rupees, have been spent so far. Thus, the department has utilized just 36.79 percent of the budget.
This situation persists even as only three months remain in the financial year, requiring the department to spend more than 60 percent of the remaining budget in this short period. Achieving this seems challenging given that less than 40 percent was spent in the first nine months.
The poor performance of the CAMPA fund came to light during a budget expenditure review by Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal. Following the review, officials were instructed to accelerate spending, but the minister also defended the department’s slow work processes. Regional data further questions the department’s efficiency. In the Garhwal region, 135 crore rupees were allocated under CAMPA, but only 53 crore rupees have been spent, amounting to 39.13 percent. In the Kumaon region, 74 crore rupees were released, with just 25 crore rupees expended, or 34.24 percent.
For wildlife areas, 31 crore rupees were allocated, but only 12 crore rupees have been spent, equating to about 41 percent. The research category fares even worse, with only 70 lakh rupees spent out of a 3 crore rupee budget, or just 22 percent. Other administrative units received around 9 crore rupees, of which only 1 crore 24 lakh rupees were used, resulting in a 14 percent utilization rate. Among wildlife zones, Corbett Tiger Reserve showed the worst performance: Out of 7 crore 13 lakh rupees allocated, only 1 crore 30 lakh rupees were spent, or 18.32 percent. In comparison, Rajaji Tiger Reserve performed better, with 58.29 percent of the budget utilized.
At the circle level, Yamuna Circle in Garhwal proved to be the laggard, with only 29.77 percent of the allocated budget spent. In Kumaon, North Kumaon Circle had the poorest showing, limited to 33.8 percent utilization.
On the entire issue, the head of the Forest Department and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HOFF) Ranjan Kumar Mishra stated, “The department is serious about budget expenditure. Three months are still left. We will spend the budget.” However, when asked how the budget that couldn’t be spent in nine months would be fully utilized in three, no concrete or logical response was provided.
Rather than imposing strict measures on responsible officials for budget expenditure, the department is citing systemic complexities, which doesn’t clarify if pressure will be applied for timely utilization in the future. Thus, the big question is: If this crucial CAMPA fund from the center lapses, who will be held accountable? This isn’t the first time the Forest Department has failed to fully spend the CAMPA budget. In the previous financial year 2024-25, out of about 400 crore rupees received from the center, at least 25 to 30 crore rupees remained unspent by year-end. Including interest, this amount was even higher. The current year’s situation appears worse, and achieving 100 percent expenditure seems unlikely.
Notably, if this central budget isn’t spent by the end of the financial year, it lapses, depriving the state of full benefits. The primary reason is that the governmental system spends so much time on formalities that timely expenditure for essential works becomes impossible.
Even more concerning is that in cases of unspent budgets, the proposals sent to the center for the next financial year’s budget demand may face cuts. This is because central officials consider points like past performance and unspent budgets when reviewing proposals.