Green Credit Programme

The Government has identified 4,391 hectares of degraded forest land for eco-restoration under the Green Credit Programme (GCP), a market-based mechanism to incentivise environmental actions.

Green Credit Programme (GCP) :

Aspect	Key Details
Launch	Central Sector Programme launched in 2023.
Legal Basis	Notified through Green Credit Rules, 2023 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Aim	Incentivise voluntary environmental actions and promote the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement.
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Administrator	Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
Stakeholders	Individuals, communities, industries and private sector entities.
Core Objective	Increase green cover, restore degraded forests, enhance carbon sequestration and promote sustainable practices.
Activities Covered	Tree plantation, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, waste management, air pollution reduction, mangrove restoration, Ecomark, sustainable infrastructure.
Working Mechanism	Green Credits issued for eco-restoration; can be used for compliance or traded.
Credit Generation	Primarily through afforestation and restoration of degraded forest land.
Ecological Condition	Use of indigenous species suited to local ecology.
Minimum Requirement	Credits issued after 5 years with at least 40% canopy density (moderately dense forest).
Canopy Classification	Very Dense: >70% | Moderately Dense: 40–70% | Open Forest: 10–40%.
Land Identification	Degraded forest land identified by State Forest Departments and verified by nodal officers.
Conditions	Land must not be under existing plantation or other afforestation schemes to avoid double-counting.
Verification	Designated agency verifies restoration before credit issuance by ICFRE.
Digital Platform	Green Credit Portal for registration, monitoring and issuance of credits.