Parliament Question: Green credit programme

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3106 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2026 Green credit programme 3106. MS. INDU BALA GOSWAMI: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has recently launched a voluntary Green Credit Programme; (b) if so, the details thereof; and (c) whether it is necessary for participants' environmental activities to be verified by an agency to earn Green Credits and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (c) The Green Credit Programme is an innovative mechanism to incentivise environmentally positive actions and to promote the LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement, which aims at encouraging sustainable lifestyles by driving community towards behavioural changes that support environment-friendly actions. The Green Credit Programme aims to increase green cover, enhance carbon sequestration, restore degraded lands and reduce carbon footprint through the adoption of environment- friendly technologies and practices. The Central Government has notified Green Credit Rules, 2023 on 12th October 2023 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to encourage voluntary environmental positive actions resulting in issuance of Green Credits. Under the Green Credit Programme, the modality for tree plantation and eco-restoration of degraded forest lands has been notified on 22nd February 2024 and subsequently revised on 29th August 2025. A Green Credit Programme Portal (https://moefcc-gep.in/) has been developed for the purpose. The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun is the Administrator which is responsible for the effective implementation of the Green Credit Programme, including its management, operation and issuance of green credits under these rules. The Green Credit Programme aims to restore degraded forest lands through the active participation of public and private sector entities. The degraded forest land parcels proposed to be taken up under the Green Credit Programme are selected and registered by the State Forest Department after due verification on the ground. The Green Credits can be claimed by an applicant only after minimum five years of restoration work have been completed and a minimum canopy density of forty per cent has been achieved. A five-year establishment period is prescribed to allow the planted seedlings and natural regenerations to mature and develop adequate canopy cover, so asto achieve the prescribed 40 per cent canopy density, corresponding to a moderately dense forest. Under the Green Credit Rules, 2023, the Administrator will designate designated agencies to undertake assessment and verification of the restored land parcels and submit report to the Administrator for issuance of green credit. Thereafter the green credits will be awarded based on the vegetation status, including the change in the canopy density, number of surviving trees etc to be determined by the Administrator. The forest restoration activities under the Green Credit Programme aim to enhance biodiversity and improve the ecological health and productivity of forest resources. ****