GUWAHATI: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) performance audit report tabled in Parliament on Thursday, August 13, has flagged major shortcomings in the implementation of the Green India Mission (GIM), with the programme falling significantly short of its forest-cover targets over a decade.
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The Green India Mission was launched in 2014 with the aim of improving the country’s forest cover. The CAG audit examined the implementation of GIM between 2015-16 and 2025-26.
The target set by GIM for improving the quality of forest cover was 1.4 million hectares (mha). However, as per the CAG report, the target fell short by 91.87 per cent.
“As against the target of 1.4 mha (as per the Cabinet Approval of GIM in 2014) for improving the quality of forest cover under GIM, the achievement could be made in only 0.11384 mha, leading to a shortfall of 91.87 per cent,” the CAG report stated.
Furthermore, the Cabinet approval of GIM in 2014 had set a target of increasing forest cover by 1.4 million hectares. However, according to the CAG report, this target remained largely unmet, with a shortfall of 97.57 per cent.
“Further, as against the target of 1.4 mha (as per the Cabinet Approval of GIM in 2014), for increasing the forest cover under GIM, achievement could be made in only 0.03409 mha, leading to a shortfall of 97.57 per cent,” the CAG report stated.
The CAG cited a lack of convergence and shortfalls in plantation targets due to limited budgetary support as the reasons behind the poor performance of the Green India Mission.