Ministry : Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Forest Conservation Division)
Part II-Section 3-Sub-Section (i)
Subject : Extra Ordinary
Overview Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Amendment Rules, 2025
The Gazette of India Extraordinary publishes the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Amendment Rules, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 31 August 2025. These rules amend the 2023 framework governing forest land diversion and compensatory afforestation, introducing staged approvals, new definitions for working permissions, revised timelines for objections, and enhanced compensatory measures for critical minerals.
Key Points
- Staged Approvals: Formal distinction between "in-principle/Stage‑I" preliminary approval and "final/Stage‑II" approval, with the latter contingent on compliance reports.
- Working Permission: Introduced for linear projects after Stage‑I approval, allowing mobilization and preliminary works (excluding blacktopping, concretisation, railway track laying, transmission lines) before final clearance.
- Revised Compensation Rates: Updated forest‑area compensation factors (e.g., canopy density thresholds 0.4, multipliers for critical minerals) and revised penalty structures for unauthorized forest use.
- Extended Validity & Flexibility: In‑principle/S‑I approval extended to five years; Central Government may grant extensions for emergent or public‑interest projects, including defence and national security.
- Streamlined Procedures for Mining: Enhanced compensatory afforestation requirements for critical and strategic minerals; specific provisions for renewal of mining leases and underground works.
- Faster Dispute Resolution: Mandatory 45‑day complaint filing window for offences under the Adhiniyam; designated officers (Divisional Forest Officer, etc.) empowered to initiate legal proceedings.
- Digital Signing & Accessibility: Rules digitally signed by the Inspector General of Forests, with amendments reflected across Schedules I and II for timelines and fees.
Summary
The Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Amendment Rules, 2025, recalibrate India’s forest‑clearance regime by introducing a two‑stage approval process, enabling working permissions for infrastructure projects, and tightening compensatory afforestation norms—particularly for critical and strategic minerals. These changes aim to balance conservation with development needs, reduce project delays, and strengthen enforcement against forest offences, significantly impacting environmental compliance, land‑use planning, and infrastructure delivery across the country.
