**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to a question in Lok Sabha regarding the implementation of the Green Credit Programme. The programme aims to incentivize environmentally positive actions, promote sustainable lifestyles, and restore degraded lands. The Green Credit Rules, 2023 were notified on October 12, 2023, and the modality for tree plantation and eco-restoration of degraded forest lands was notified on February 22, 2024, and subsequently revised on August 29, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Programme Overview:**
* The Green Credit Programme incentivizes environmentally positive actions and promotes the LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement.
* Aims to increase green cover, enhance carbon sequestration, restore degraded lands, and reduce carbon footprint.
* **Regulatory Framework:**
* Green Credit Rules, 2023, were notified on October 12, 2023, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
* The modality for tree plantation and eco-restoration of degraded forest lands was notified on February 22, 2024, and subsequently revised on August 29, 2025.
* A Green Credit Programme Portal (https://moefcc-gep.in/) has been developed.
* **Administration:**
* The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, is the Administrator.
* The administrator is responsible for the effective implementation of the Programme, including management, operation, and issuance of green credits.
* **Participation and Land Selection:**
* The programme aims to restore degraded forest lands through the active participation of public and private sector entities.
* Degraded forest land parcels are selected and registered by the State Forest Department after verification.
* **Claiming Green Credits:**
* Credits can be claimed only after a minimum of five years of restoration work is completed.
* A minimum canopy density of forty percent must be achieved.
* A five-year establishment period is required for planted seedlings and natural regeneration to mature.
* A designated agency conducts verification of the claim for Green Credits and submits a report to the Administrator.
* Transparency and accountability are enabled through methodologies, guidelines, and digital processes.
* **Outcomes:**
* Forest restoration activities aim to enhance biodiversity and improve the ecological health and productivity of forest resources.
* Eco-restoration activities have been initiated over an area of 4258 ha, through the participation of 17 entities.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Public and Private Sector Entities**
* **Impact:** Entities can actively participate in restoring degraded forest lands and potentially earn Green Credits.
* **Action Required:** Entities must select degraded forest land parcels, register with the State Forest Department, undertake restoration activities for at least five years, and achieve a minimum canopy density of forty percent.
**Stakeholder: State Forest Department**
* **Impact:** Responsible for selecting and registering degraded forest land parcels for the Green Credit Programme.
* **Action Required:** Verify the selected degraded forest land parcels.
**Stakeholder: Designated Agency**
* **Impact:** Responsible for verifying claims for Green Credits.
* **Action Required:** Conduct verification of the activities undertaken by an applicant and submit a report to the Administrator.
**Stakeholder: Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun**
* **Impact:** Serves as the Administrator of the Green Credit Programme
* **Action Required:** Effective implementation of the Green Credit Programme, including its management, operation and issuance of green credits.
Key Entities Referenced
Green Credit Programme: An initiative to incentivize environmentally positive actions, restore degraded lands, and reduce carbon footprint.
Green Credit Rules, 2023: Rules notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to encourage voluntary environmental actions resulting in Green Credits.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The act under which the Green Credit Rules, 2023 were notified.
LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement: A movement to encourage sustainable lifestyles by driving community towards behavioral changes that support environment-friendly actions.
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun: The Administrator responsible for the effective implementation of the Green Credit Programme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 296
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
Implementation of the Green Credit Programme
296. SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the mechanism adopted under the Green Credit Programme for the registration
of degraded land, issuance of Green Credits and digital monitoring of plantation activities;
(b) the categories of participants eligible to undertake plantation activities under the said
programme; and
(c) the details of the outcomes achieved so far in the programme in terms of enhancing forest and
tree cover, building an inventory of degraded land for afforestation and encouraging citizen
and corporate participation in sustainable environmental initiatives?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (b) 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-yearestablishment period is prescribed to allow the planted seedlings and natural regenerations to mature
and develop adequate canopy cover, so as to achieve the prescribed 40 per cent canopy density,
corresponding to a moderately dense forest. The "designated agency" designated under the Green
Credit Programme shall conduct verification of the claim for the Green Credits and submit report to
the Administrator as regard to the verification of the activities undertaken by an applicant for issuance
of green credit. Transparency and accountability of the Green Credit Programme is enabled through
methodologies, guidelines and digital processes.
The forest restoration activities under the Green Credit Programme aim to enhance biodiversity and
improve the ecological health and productivity of forest resources.
(c) So far under the Green Credit Programme, eco-restoration activities have been initiated over
an area of 4258 ha, through the participation of 17 entities.
****