The Comptroller and Auditor General raised concerns about the inadequacies within the Green India Mission program, noting that the goal of increasing forest cover was far from realized over a decade. The audit pointed to significant issues in planning and financial oversight, which severely undermined the mission’s objectives. Key vulnerable areas were neglected during afforestation, diminishing efforts to combat climate change. NEW DELHI: Red-flagging lapses in the country’s ongoing programme to increase and improve green cover, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pointed out non-achievement of forest cover targets, noting that the observed increase in forest cover fell short by nearly 98% during 10 years of implementation (2015-16 to 2024-25) of the Green India Mission (GIM).Releasing the performance audit report on the Mission, CAG highlighted the wrong choice of landscape for planting trees, absence of convergence of various schemes to increase green cover, financial mismanagement, improper planning, lack of coordination and deficient monitoring behind non-achievement of the GIM’s goals.The broad objectives under the Mission were to increase forest/tree cover, improve the quality of forest/non-forest lands, improve ecosystem services, including biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration because of forest land/non-forest land, and to increase forest-based livelihood income of households living in and around forests.Underlining its key audit findings, the CAG in its report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday said, “As against the target of 1.4 million hectares (mha), improvement of forest cover quality was observed in only 0.11 mha (nearly 92% shortfall). Similarly, an increase in forest cover was observed in only 0.03 mha as against the target of 1.4 mha (nearly 98% shortfall).”Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt also noted that despite vulnerability being a key criterion, landscapes with low to moderate priority were selected over those more vulnerable to climate change for afforestation under the Mission.The performance audit examined the planning, implementation and monitoring of the GIM interventions in 16 states and UTs for which physical and financial targets were approved by the environment ministry during the period 2015-16 to 2024-25.Pointing out deficient monitoring, the CAG noted that 14 states even failed to provide required public web links for transparency. It flagged that audit evaluations revealed inflated data and overstated achievements, and GIS analysis showed that 70% of sampled sites had no noticeable changes attributable to GIM.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAir India Tightens Pilot Safety Checks After AI2379 Altitude Loss And Positive Marijuana TestJPSC-JSSC Stir Enters Day 20: Police Book 600 After Assembly March, Students Refuse To Back DownAkali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Near Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Assailant Uses Sharp Weapon | WatchPrajwal Revanna’s Jail Phone Had 90 Porn Videos, Senior Prison Official Suspended After Search’Is This The Way In Democracy?’Kharge Fumes, Raises Haldwani ‘Purification’ Row, Nadda Assures ProbeRed Fort Blast: UN Security Council Body Links Deadly Attack To AQIS; Reveals Grisly DetailsPit Bull Attack in Patiala Couple Suffers Multiple Injuries- Wife Undergoes SurgeryThreat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In Kashmir, Employees Asked To Stay Alert Amid Security FearChilling Crash Video: Atiq Ahmed’s Son’s Creta Flips After Losing Control On Highway | WatchUdhayanidhi Backs CM Vijay’s Tamil Nadu Delimitation Stand, Demands No Cut In State’s LS Seats123PhotostoriesOprah Winfrey talks sleep with Dr John La Puma: Why your nighttime routine may be affecting your heart, hormones and body clock’Vishwanath And Sons’: Five reasons to watch Suriya and Mamitha Baiju starrer helmed by Venky Atluri on big screens10 baby names inspired by the “first light of dawn”Why defrosting your fridge is important and 3 smart ways to do itWhy do train tracks have small stones around them? 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NEW DELHI: Red-flagging lapses in the country’s ongoing programme to increase and improve green cover, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pointed out non-achievement of forest cover targets, noting that the observed increase in forest cover fell short by nearly 98% during 10 years of implementation (2015-16 to 2024-25) of the Green India Mission (GIM).Releasing the performance audit report on the Mission, CAG highlighted the wrong choice of landscape for planting trees, absence of convergence of various schemes to increase green cover, financial mismanagement, improper planning, lack of coordination and deficient monitoring behind non-achievement of the GIM’s goals.The broad objectives under the Mission were to increase forest/tree cover, improve the quality of forest/non-forest lands, improve ecosystem services, including biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration because of forest land/non-forest land, and to increase forest-based livelihood income of households living in and around forests.Underlining its key audit findings, the CAG in its report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday said, “As against the target of 1.4 million hectares (mha), improvement of forest cover quality was observed in only 0.11 mha (nearly 92% shortfall). Similarly, an increase in forest cover was observed in only 0.03 mha as against the target of 1.4 mha (nearly 98% shortfall).”
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It also noted that despite vulnerability being a key criterion, landscapes with low to moderate priority were selected over those more vulnerable to climate change for afforestation under the Mission.The performance audit examined the planning, implementation and monitoring of the GIM interventions in 16 states and UTs for which physical and financial targets were approved by the environment ministry during the period 2015-16 to 2024-25.Pointing out deficient monitoring, the CAG noted that 14 states even failed to provide required public web links for transparency. It flagged that audit evaluations revealed inflated data and overstated achievements, and GIS analysis showed that 70% of sampled sites had no noticeable changes attributable to GIM.
