**Executive Summary**
The document answers parliamentary questions regarding the implementation of the Green Credit Programme. This program incentivizes environmentally positive actions to promote the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement. It aims to increase green cover, restore degraded lands, and reduce carbon footprints. Key dates mentioned are the notification of Green Credit Rules, 2023, the notification regarding the modality for tree plantation and eco-restoration, and a subsequent revision.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Green Credit Programme Overview:**
* The program is an innovative mechanism to incentivize environmentally positive actions.
* It promotes the LiFE movement by encouraging sustainable lifestyles.
* The program aims to increase green cover, enhance carbon sequestration, restore degraded lands, and reduce carbon footprint.
* **Legal and Administrative 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 has been notified on February 22, 2024 and revised on August 29, 2025.
* A Green Credit Programme Portal (https://moefcc-gcp.in/) has been developed.
* The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, is the Administrator responsible for the implementation, management, operation, and issuance of green credits.
* **Land Restoration and Green Credits:**
* The program aims to restore degraded forest lands with the participation of public and private entities.
* Degraded forest land parcels are selected and registered by the State Forest Department after verification.
* Green Credits can be claimed after a minimum of five years of restoration work and achieving a minimum canopy density of forty percent.
* A five-year establishment period is prescribed for seedling maturation and canopy development.
* A designated agency will conduct verification of the claim for Green Credits and submit a report to the Administrator.
* **Program Objectives:**
* Forest restoration activities aim to enhance biodiversity and improve the ecological health and productivity of forest resources.
* The program's transparency and accountability are enabled through methodologies, guidelines, and digital processes.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Public and Private Sector Entities**
* **Impact:** Opportunity to actively participate in restoring degraded forest lands and potentially earn Green Credits.
* **Action Required:** Propose and undertake restoration projects on degraded forest land parcels, adhering to program guidelines for registration, implementation, and verification.
**Stakeholder: State Forest Department**
* **Impact:** Responsible for selecting and registering degraded forest land parcels under the program.
* **Action Required:** Conduct thorough verification of proposed land parcels before registration.
**Stakeholder: Applicants Seeking Green Credits**
* **Impact:** Opportunity to earn Green Credits for successful restoration work, subject to meeting specific criteria (e.g., minimum restoration period, canopy density).
* **Action Required:** Implement restoration projects according to program guidelines, maintain records, and apply for Green Credits after meeting the requirements.
**Stakeholder: Designated Agency**
* **Impact:** Responsible for verifying the activities undertaken by applicants.
* **Action Required:** Conduct verification of the claim for Green Credits and submit report to the Administrator.
**Stakeholder: Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun**
* **Impact:** Oversees the overall implementation, management, operation, and issuance of green credits under the rules.
* **Action Required:** Ensure effective management, operation and issuance of green credits.
Key Entities Referenced
Green Credit Programme: A program to incentivize environmentally positive actions and promote sustainable lifestyles.
Green Credit Rules, 2023: Rules notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to encourage voluntary environmental positive actions resulting in issuance of Green Credits.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The act under which the Green Credit Rules, 2023 were notified.
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun: The administrator responsible for the effective implementation of the Green Credit Programme.
LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement: A movement that aims at encouraging sustainable lifestyles.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2388
TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025
Implementation of the Green Credit Programme
2388. SHRI TAPIR GAO:
SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:
SHRI KALIPADA SAREN KHERWAL:
SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA:
SMT. BIJULI KALITA MEDHI:
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 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 programme;
(c) the details of authority in charge of auditing the plantations activities under the tree planting
component of the Programme and assigning green credits;
(d) the rationale behind choosing a five year period for generation of green credits under the tree
plantation activity during the said period;
(e) the details of number of trees planted and survived under the said programme so far, year-
wise; and
(f) 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 (f) 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-gcp.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 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.
****