Green India Mission Revised Plan (2021–2030): Key Highlights
The Green India Mission (GIM), one of India’s eight National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), has released its revised plan for 2021–2030. This updated roadmap aims to accelerate India’s climate resilience, expand afforestation efforts, and promote sustainable land use, aligning with India’s international climate commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Introduced under NAPCC as one of eight missions, GIM targets holistic afforestation and ecosystem restoration .
- Goals for 2021–30:
- Increase forest/tree cover by 5 mha, and improve quality on another 5 mha of degraded/non-forest land .
- Enhance ecosystem services—biodiversity, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration (@50–60 Mt CO₂/year), fuel/fodder resources, and wetland/mangrove protection .
- Boost livelihoods: support ~3 million rural households through forestry-based income .
Strategic Components
- Sub‑Missions include:
- Forest-quality enhancement (SM‑1)
- Ecosystem restoration (SM‑2)
- Urban & peri‑urban greening (SM‑3)
- Agroforestry & social forestry (SM‑4)
- Wetland restoration (SM‑5) .
- Funding & convergence:
- CAMPA and MGNREGS synergy promotes participatory actions by joint forest management/co‑management groups.
- Supreme Court support – ₹6,000 cr to afforest 6 mha of degraded forest land .
Challenges & Performance
Relevance for UPSC
| Theme | GIM Linkage |
|---|---|
| GS‑3: Environment & Ecology | Ecosystem restoration, carbon sink creation, biodiversity conservation |
| GS‑2/3: Governance & Planning | Convergence mechanisms (MGNREGS, CAMPA), community governance frameworks |
| GS‑3: Economy & Rural Devt | Forestry‑based livelihoods, bioeconomy, climate-resilient development |
| GS‑3: Sustainable Development | Landscape-level, balanced ecological and economic objectives |
Previous Year UPSC Questions
- Prelims (2018–20) Q: “Green India Mission aims to increase forest/tree cover and enhance ecosystem services under NAPCC—True or False?”
✅ Answer: “True” - Mains Related Themes Discuss the importance of afforestation and ecosystem services in India’s climate change strategy.
Evaluate the role and challenges of convergence between MGNREGS and forest missions.