Green India Mission (GIM)

• Ministry: Implemented under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Mission: It is one of the 8 missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• Launched: Launched in 2014.
• Core objective: To protect, restore and enhance India’s forest cover and ecosystem services.
• Focus: Increasing forest/tree cover, improving forest quality and restoring degraded ecosystems.
• Climate objective: It contributes to carbon sequestration and climate-change mitigation.
• Target: The mission aims to increase forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares (Mha) and improve the quality of forest/tree cover on another 5 Mha.
• Total landscape: It covers 10 Mha of land.
• Ecosystem services: Focus includes biodiversity conservation, hydrological services, improved livelihoods and enhanced carbon sequestration.
• Community participation: It emphasises the participation of local communities and Gram Sabhas in planning and implementation.
• Convergence: It seeks convergence with programmes of different Ministries, State governments and other agencies.

Prelims MCQ

Q. With reference to the Green India Mission, consider the following statements:

1. It is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
2. It aims to increase forest and tree cover as well as improve the quality of existing forest cover.
3. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
4. It focuses only on increasing the geographical area under forests and has no objective related to ecosystem services.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

Explanation: Green India Mission is one of the 8 missions under NAPCC. It focuses not only on increasing forest/tree cover but also on improving forest quality, restoring ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services, and increasing carbon sequestration. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.