Lok Sabha Question No. 994 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Progress made under Green Credit Programme
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 994 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## Progress made under Green Credit Programme

## 994.   ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of progress made under the Green Credit Programme (GCP) since its launch in December 2023, including the number of registered projects and their categories;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted an assessment of the methodologies used to award green credits;
- (c) the details of specific steps taken by the Government to align the GCP with India's commitments towards afforestation, biodiversity, and the net-zero emissions goal by 2070; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that  the  programme upholds  environmental  integrity  while  safeguarding  the  rights  and  livelihoods  of indigenous and marginalised groups?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (d). The Central Government has notified Green Credit Rules,2023 on 12 th  October 2023 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 to encourage voluntary environmental  positive  actions  resulting  in  issuance  of  Green  Credits  and  has  also developed  a  Green  Credit  Programme  (GCP)  Portal  (https://moefcc-gcp.in/)  for  the purpose.

Currently, the activity of tree plantation for eco-restoration of degraded forest lands is being  implemented  under  the  Green  Credit  Programme  (GCP).  State-wise  status  of registered land parcels in the country as on 02.02.2025, is enclosed as (Annexure - I).

The  Ministry  has  undertaken  deliberations  with  Central  Ministries/Departments, experts, industry, research and academia and other stakeholders for the Green Credit Programme.  Technical  Committee  was  constituted  to  develop  methodologies  and monitoring, reporting and verification mechanism for green credits in tree plantation based activity.  Detailed  modalities  for taking  up  tree plantation  under  Green Credit Programme have been brought out by the Ministry in February 2024 (Annexure - II). Transparency and accountability of GCP is enabled through methodologies, guidelines and digital processes.

*****

Annexure-I

Status of Registered Land Parcels under Green Credit Program

(As on 02.02.2025)

|        | State          | Registered Land Parcels   | Registered Land Parcels   |
|--------|----------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Sl. No |                | Number                    | Area (in ha)              |
| 1      | ANDHRA PRADESH | 745                       | 11361.17                  |
| 2      | ASSAM          | 10                        | 454.00                    |
| 3      | BIHAR          | 57                        | 4108.71                   |
| 4      | CHHATTISGARH   | 94                        | 1954.92                   |
| 5      | GOA            | 2                         | 10.00                     |
| 6      | GUJARAT        | 342                       | 6760.21                   |
| 7      | HARYANA        | 14                        | 128.00                    |
| 8      | JHARKHAND      | 343                       | 5648.50                   |
| 9      | KARNATAKA      | 38                        | 1027.60                   |
| 10     | MADHYA PRADESH | 315                       | 15218.94                  |
| 11     | MAHARASHTRA    | 107                       | 1572.55                   |
| 12     | ODISHA         | 106                       | 1039.63                   |
| 13     | RAJASTHAN      | 17                        | 908.00                    |
| 14     | TAMIL NADU     | 167                       | 4708.40                   |
| 15     | TELANGANA      | 77                        | 1738.02                   |
| 16     | UTTAR PRADESH  | 67                        | 883.96                    |
| 17     | UTTARAKHAND    | 11                        | 200.03                    |
| Total  | Total          | 2,512                     | 57,722.64                 |

## F. No. HSM-12/24/2023-HSM(pt2)-Part(1), E-220847

## Government of India

## Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Hazardous Substances Management Division

3rd Floor, Prithvi Block Jor Bagh Road

Indira Paryavaran Bhawan New Delhi - 110003 Dated: 22nd February, 2024

## Office Memorandum

Subject: Modality for taking up Tree Plantation under Green Credit Programme - regarding

## 1. Introduction:

- 1.1 The Green Credit Rules have been notified by the Government of India on 12th October 2023 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Green Credit Programme (GP) encourages industries, companies and other entities to meet their existing obligations or other obligations under any law for the time being in force, and encourage other persons and entities, to undertake voluntary environmental measures inter-alia "tree plantation", resulting in award of Green Credits.
- 1.2 To begin with, tree plantation may be undertaken on degraded land under the control and management of Forest Departments. In this regard, notification for Methodology for Tree Plantation based Green Credit has been published in official gazette.
- 1.3 In view of the above, the following modality, for taking up tree plantation on degraded forest land under the Green Credit Programme, is prescribed.

## 2. Modality:

## 2.1 Registration of Implementing Agency:

Forest Departments/ Forest Development Corporations of States and UTs applicant shall be the Implementing Agency (IA) for mplementing Tree Plantation based Green Credit Programme. A State Nodal officer (SNO) of the rank of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests/Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests) for the State/UT shall be appointed by each IA, who shall be responsible for overall coordination and monitoring of Tree Plantation based Green Credit Programme in the state/UT. Implementing Officer (IO). shall be registered by each IA for each Forest Division. Registration of lA, SNO and IO shall be done through

GCP Portal by providing details like name of State/UT, district, division, name of officer, designation, office address, bank account details, etc.

## 2.2 Criteria for selection of land:

## 2.2.1 Type of land:

Degraded land parcels under the control and management of Forest Department of the States and UTs shall be eligible for GCP. Only such land parcels and areas suitable for plantation, shall be registered as plantation block in the GCP Portal.

## 2.2.2 Density of tree plantation:

Plantation block with potential of planting minimum 1100 trees per hectare, taking into account on the local silvi-climatic and soil conditions, shall be selected for registration.

## 2.2.3 Size of plantation blocks:

Every plantation block shall be a compact area having a minimum size of 5 hectares.

## 2.2.4 Other conditions:

Plantation block shall be free from all types of encumbrances and plantation to be undertaken in line with management plan/working plan.

## 2.3 Registration of plantation block:

After selection of land for plantation as above, registration of plantation block shall be done through self-certification on the portal by the IA. Each plantation block shall be registered separately with unique ID.

## 2.4 Registration of Entity/ Green Credit Applicant (GCA):

Government Institutions (like PWD, CPWD, Irrigation department, etc.), Public Sector Undertakings (State and Central), Non-Government Organisations, Private Companies/Organisations/entities, Philanthropists, Individuals, Group of Individuals registered under Societies Registration Act will qualify as GCA under tree plantation based GCP. Registration of GCA shall be done by providing required details like name & address, proof of identity, contact details, registration details, etc. on the GCP portal.

## 2.5 Selection of land for the plantation by GCA:

Registered GAs desirous to apply for Green Credits (GCs) shall request for the allocation of land parcel for plantation from the plantation block registered on the portal.

## 2.6 Preparation of demand note:

Estimate in INR with provision for plantation and its maintenance (advance work in 1s1 year and maintenance till 10th year considering cost of escalation) shall be prepared as per Schedule of Rates by the concerned IO. All necessary provisions shall be made while preparing estimate to make the plantation successful.

Plantation estimate with details of Technical and Administrative sanction/approval and other necessary information shall be provided on GCP portal for scrutiny and approval of SNO. After approval of SNO, the Administrator will further scrutinize the estimate from technical point of view and by including administrative cost for monitoring and verification (10% of estimated cost) and a demand note will be generated on the portal (Mechanism of utilization of the administrative cost shall be developed by Administrator separately). Thereafter, entity shall make the payment in the bank account of the Administrator through NEFT/RTGS. After making payment, the lA shall formally allot land parcel/plantation block to the GCA. Preparation of estimate as well as payment shall be done within the

## 2.7 Plantation and its maintenance:

stipulated time as specified by the Administrator.

- .Plantation works shall be started immediately after receipt of payment from the entity. It shall be the responsibility of the lA to ensure completion of plantation within two years after receipt of payment. All details of plantation and maintenance works along with item-wise expenditure, as prescribed by the Administrator, shall be provided on the portal by IA and IO.

## 2.8 Issuance of Green Credits (GCs):

- As advance works are carried out and seedlings are sourced in the first year and plantation is carried out in the second year, Green Credits will be awarded two years after receipt of payment from the entity. GCs will be awarded to the entity by the Administrator based on total number of trees planted in selected blocks and plantation completion certificate generated online by IA. GCs will be allocated to the entity at the rate of one GC per tree in a standard format through the GCP portal.

## 3. Monitoring and Audit of Plantation:

- prescribed by the Administrator. Intensive monitoring by the field officers of the prescribed format on the portal to ensure that there is no violation of prevailing methodology, guidelines, rules, etc. under GCP. A monitoring committee of 3members under the chairmanship of 1O, including Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) and the entity/CA as its members shall be constituted. Monitoring committee shall submit half yearly monitoring reports on the GCP portal, as prescribed by the Administrator. Third party shall be engaged for independent monitoring. Separate guidelines shall be issued for accreditation/empanelment of verifiers for verification/monitoring of plantation. The GCP portal will track the
- Plantation records/details shall be maintained online in a standard format as Implementing Agency shall be carried out and reporting shall be done in a

progress and proper records shall be maintained in public domain.

## Accounting and audit:

Separate savings account in a nationalized bank for the Administrator, SNO, 10 and concerned Range Forest Officer shall be opened and maintained for Green Credit Programme. After receipt of payment from GCA, the Administrator will release the funds to SNO to complete the advance works of plantation. Subsequent release of fund to the SNO will be done in installments, as per the progress of the plantation work. Separate guidelines will be developed for fund flow mechanism, fund disbursement, financial and accounting procedures, record keeping process, auditing, etc.

## 5. Advantages of GCs:

- 5.1 The plantation taken under GCP, may be exchanged for compliance of Compensatory Afforestation (CA) in case of diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, as applicable.
- 5.2 GCs earned may be used for reporting under ESG leadership indicator or under CSR, as per applicable rules.

This issues with approval of theCompetent Authority.

1

(Nameeta Prasad)

Joint Secretary to Government of India Email: nameeta.prasad@gov.in Tel. No.: 011-20819324

## To,

The Chief Secretary, All State/UT Governments

## Copy to:

1. Sr. PPS to Secretary/PPS to DGF&SS/PPS to Addl. DGF(FC)
2. Principal Secretary (Forests), All States/UTs
3. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), all State/UTs;
4. AS/JS, In-Charge GCP
5. DG, ICFRE
6. IGF, NAEB
7. PPS to CEO, NCAMPA/ADG (FC), MoEF&CC, New Delhi;
8. NIC, MoEF&CC with a request to upload a copy on MoEFCC website.

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