Wed Mar 19 10:00:37 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Finds Uttarakhand’s Misuse of CAMPA Funds “Trivial”
**New Delhi, March 19, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India today ruled that the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s diversion of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds was “trivial.” The court reached this decision after reviewing a state response stating that gadgets purchased with the funds, including mobile phones, were used for official communication and forest patrolling.
The case stemmed from a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report alleging misuse of CAMPA funds for purchases such as iPhones and laptops. The court had previously sought a response from the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary.
While closing the case, the court cautioned the state against repeating such actions. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Uttarakhand, stated that action had been initiated against officials responsible for “irregular expenditure.”
The Supreme Court’s order noted that the alleged expenditure constituted only 1.8% of the total available funds and that the activities were directly or indirectly related to forestation. However, the court also directed the state to ensure timely deposit of interest with the State Compensatory Afforestation Funds (SCAF) as mandated by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016. The CAG report highlighted a non-payment of ₹275.34 crore in interest between 2019-20 and 2021-22. The state government had previously acknowledged the issue and claimed to have deposited ₹150 crore in July 2023.
The CAG report detailed alleged unauthorized purchases of various items, including iPhones, laptops, refrigerators, coolers, and funds used for court cases and personal expenses. The Supreme Court’s decision marks the conclusion of this particular case, though the larger issue of proper CAMPA fund management remains a point of concern.
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