India, Nov. 15 -- Minister Prakash Javadekarsaid draft created misconceptionamong people

The Union government was withdrawing the officers' draft of the Indian Forest Act (IFA), 1927 amendment, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Prakash Javadekar told reporters on November 15, 2019.

Inspector General of Forests (Forest Policy) Noyal Thomas had sent a letter to all states on March 7 this year, seeking their comments on the first draft of the comprehensive amendments to the IFA.

Each state had to conduct consultations with all its stakeholders, including non-profits and civil society organisations, and send the compiled feedback to MoEF&CC by June 7.

Javadekar, however, said the government did not create the dr...