Do you know about the National Mission for A Green India

The National Mission for a Green India or Green India Mission (GIM) is one of the eight missions India’s action plans to address the challenge of climate change. It was launched in February 2014 for protecting; restoring and enhancing India’s diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.

The mission recognises the influence forests on environmental amelioration through climate change mitigation, water security, food security, biodiversity conservation and livelihood security of forest living as well as dependent communities.

Objectives of National Mission for A Green India

1. To protect, restore and enhance India's falling forest cover.

2. To respond to climate change through a combination of adaptation as well as mitigation measures.

3. To increased forest-based livelihood incomes.

4. To enhance annual Carbon sequestration by 50 to 60 million tonnes in the year 2020.

Goals of the National Mission for A Green India

1. Improvement in quality of forest cover and ecosystem services of forests /non-forests, including moderately dense, open forests, degraded grassland and wetlands (5 m ha).

2. Eco-restoration/afforestation of scrub, shifting cultivation areas, cold deserts, mangroves, ravines and abandoned mining areas (1.8 m ha).

3. Improvement in forest and tree cover in urban/peri-urban lands (0.20 m ha)

4. Improvement in forest and tree cover on marginal agricultural lands/fallows and other non-forest lands under agroforestry /social forestry (3 m ha)

5. Management of public forest/ non-forests areas (taken up under the Mission) by the community institutions

6. Adoption of improved fuelwood-use efficiency and alternative energy devices by project-area households.

7. Diversification of forest-based livelihoods of about 3 million households living in and around forests.

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Components of National Mission for A Green India Strategy

1. Holistic view to “greening” (broader than plantations): The mission envisages that greening will go beyond trees and plantation so that greening encompasses both protection and restoration.

2. ‘Vulnerability’ and ‘Potential’ as criteria for intervention: The mission envisages that firstly find out the region of project areas/sub landscapes/sub-watersheds so that those areas will enhance their carbon sink by the services of the mission.

3. Integrated cross-sectoral approach to implementation: The Mission will foster an integrated approach that treats forests and non-forest public lands as well as private lands simultaneously, in project units/ sub landscapes/ sub- watersheds. Livelihood dependencies, for example firewood needs and livestock grazing, will be addressed using inter-sectoral convergence (e.g., animal husbandry, forest, agriculture, rural development and energy)

The mission for Green India is a wonderful initiation of the government because it recognises the influences and potential of the forests and other natural ecosystems. The areas of working on the mission revolving around the climate adaptation/mitigation, and food, water, environmental and livelihood security of tribal and forest dwellers.

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