Afforestation Programs — Environmental Laws

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment Act	1976	Inserted Article 48A into the Directive Principles of State Policy, obligating the State to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wildlife. It also added Article 51A(g) as a Fundamental Duty, making it incumbent upon every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment.	Provided the foundational constitutional mandate for environmental protection and forest conservation, directly influencing subsequent legislation and the establishment of afforestation programs as a state responsibility and citizen's duty.
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act	2023	Amended the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, to clarify the applicability of the Act to certain lands, exempting specific categories like forest land along railway lines, roads, and strategic linear projects of national importance within 100 km of international borders. It also introduced provisions for private afforestation and plantations.	Aimed to streamline forest clearances for development projects and promote private sector involvement in afforestation. However, it also raised concerns among environmentalists regarding potential dilution of forest protection, particularly for deemed forests and unrecorded forest lands, and its implications for tribal rights and biodiversity conservation.

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