[Answered] The revamped Green India Mission faces the challenge of integrating livelihoods with ecological security for vulnerable ecosystems. Analyze the environmental and socio-economic strategies required to achieve sustainable conservation and inclusive development.”

Introduction

India’s Green India Mission (GIM), revamped in 2024, aims to restore degraded ecosystems like the Himalayas, Aravallis, and Western Ghats while balancing environmental rejuvenation with livelihood generation for forest-dependent communities.

GIM: A Dual Mandate

1. Launched in 2014 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), the Green India Mission targets: Increasing forest/tree cover by 5 million hectares, Improving ecosystem services including biodiversity, water, and carbon sequestration and Enhancing livelihood options for 3 million forest-dependent families.
2. However, criticisms have focused on its plantation-centric approach, lack of local participation, and limited livelihood integration. The 2024 revamp addresses these gaps with a region-specific, community-inclusive, and ecosystem-based restoration model.

Environmental Strategies for Sustainable Conservation

1. Micro-Climatic Zone Mapping & Native Species Plantation: The new GIM emphasizes ecological zoning—prioritizing native, climate-resilient species. Example: Restoration of shola forests in the Western Ghats, critical for water regulation and endemic biodiversity.
2. Protection of Eco-sensitive Regions: Such as western ghats: Facing deforestation, mining, and landslides (e.g., 2023 Wayanad tragedy).  Himalayas, hit by cloudbursts, landslides; enhanced green cover can stabilize slopes. Aravallis, desertification is advancing toward NCR due to quarrying and forest degradation.
3. Climate Adaptation and Carbon Sequestration: Forests act as carbon sinks. India’s NDC targets under the Paris Agreement include creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent through forest cover.
4. Community Forest Management (CFM) and Biodiversity Protection: Empowering Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) and Gram Sabhas under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 ensures bottom-up conservation. Involves integrating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK).

Socio-Economic Strategies for Inclusive Development

1. Livelihood Generation Linked to Restoration: NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Produce) value chains (e.g., bamboo, honey, medicinal plants). Eco-tourism and agroforestry opportunities, especially in fringe forest communities. MGNREGA convergence for watershed management and afforestation jobs.
2. Skill Development & Capacity Building: Training locals in nursery development, forest firefighting, biodiversity monitoring. Promote rural green enterprises under the Startup India mission or Lakhpati Didi initiative.
3. Financial and Policy Convergence: Integrate GIM with CAMPA, MGNREGA, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). Decentralized budgeting and disbursement via district-level eco-restoration cells.
4. Conflict Resolution & Developmental Balancing: Learning from failed implementation of the Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committee recommendations, policies must align environmental protection with human development goals. Include robust social impact assessments alongside EIA processes.

Way Forward

1. Strengthen community ownership by involving Van Dhan Kendras and SHGs.
2. Build monitoring frameworks using GIS, drones, and citizen science.
3. Enforce legal compliance to curb mining/quarrying in fragile zones.

Conclusion

The success of the revamped GIM lies in harmonizing ecological restoration with economic dignity. Sustainable conservation must walk hand-in-hand with inclusive livelihoods to secure India’s environmental and developmental future.