CAG audit highlights major gaps in Green India Mission implementation

Why in News?

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged major shortcomings in the implementation of the Green India Mission (GIM), including inadequate funding, weak inter-scheme coordination, poor monitoring and failure to achieve key targets related to forest cover and its quality.

The CAG audit examined the planning, implementation and monitoring of GIM interventions in 16 States and Union Territories during 2015–16 to 2024–25.

Key Highlights

The Green India Mission (GIM) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2014 to protect, restore and enhance India’s forest and tree cover.

Between 2015–16 and 2024–25, forest cover increased by only 0.03 million hectares, against the target of 1.4 million hectares, representing a 97.57% shortfall.

Similarly, improvement in the quality of forest cover was observed over only 0.11 million hectares, against the target of 1.4 million hectares, resulting in a 91.87% shortfall.

The CAG found that the Mission was not effectively aligned with existing programmes such as CAMPA, MGNREGS and other Central and State afforestation schemes, leading to inadequate convergence of resources and efforts.

Monitoring of GIM interventions was found to be weak. Fourteen States failed to provide the required public web links for making information on interventions accessible and transparent.

The audit also highlighted inadequate assessment of the Mission’s contribution to carbon sequestration. Except Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, no State assessed carbon sequestration resulting from GIM interventions during 2015–2025.

About National Mission for a Green India (GIM)

The National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which was launched in 2008.

The Mission seeks to:

• Increase forest and tree cover by 5 million hectares.
• Improve the quality of forest/tree cover on another 5 million hectares of forest and non-forest land.
• Enhance ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, water regulation and livelihood support.

GIM is also important for India’s international climate commitments. It contributes to India’s commitment under the Paris Agreement to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030 through additional forest and tree cover.

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