Context: The Economic Survey recently noted that the central government’s afforestation scheme, Green India Mission (GIM), was able to only achieve 2.8 per cent of its plantation target.

Green India Mission (GIM)

• Launched by: Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2015 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
• It is one of the eight missions launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• It is based on India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• Under it, India has a target to sequester 2.523 billion tonnes of carbon by 2020-30.
• Implementation period: 10 Years

Aim

• Enhancing carbon sinks in sustainably managed forests and other ecosystems;
• Adaptation of vulnerable species/ecosystems to the changing climate; and
• Adaptation of forest dependant local communities in the face of climatic variability

Objective

• Increased forest/tree cover on 5 m ha of forest/non-forest lands and improved quality of forest cover on another 5 m ha (a total of 10 m ha)
• Improved ecosystem services including biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration as a result of treatment of 10 m ha.
• Increased forest-based livelihood income for 3 million forest dependent households
• Enhanced annual CO2 sequestration of 50-60 million tonnes by 2020

Key Achievements

• As of March 2020, plantation under the scheme was undertaken only over 0.14 m ha land.
• Under the various schemes of the Central Government the afforestation activities were taken up over 8.49 m ha area from 2015-16 to 2019-20 inclusive of 0.14 m ha under this mission.

Critiques

• According to the report titled Performance of the National Action Plan on Climate Change of Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change:
• During 2017-18, the scheme was allocated with grossly insufficient funds as committed liability for 2015-16 and 2016-17 which is much more than the budget allocated.
• It missed its targets by 34% in both 2015-16 and 2016-17 financial years.
• The green covers each year was less than its targeted area.
• Afforestation was only aimed at increasing tree count without considering the soil and weather conditions.
• rees like eucalyptus were planted which make environmental problems worse rather than solving it.
• Planting of unsuitable trees lead to drought and prevent biodiversity in the region.