J&K carbon credit framework: Green Fund, revenue sharing, and digital registry for ecological assets

Jammu and Kashmir has proposed a carbon credit framework to monetize its ecological assets, including forests, hydropower, and agriculture. The plan includes a Green Fund, a digital monitoring platform, and a revenue-sharing model that gives 35% of net proceeds to primary growers and community project owners. The framework was presented by CITaG and the Finance Department, with a 180-day implementation roadmap targeting pilot projects in Srinagar and Jammu municipal corporations plus agriculture and forestry sectors. Under the proposal, revenue splits are: 35% to primary growers, 30% to the J&K Green Fund, 15% to Farmer Producer Organisations, and 10% each to district climate initiatives and sector-specific accounts. The government is also considering a Green Tourism Contribution. The plan references successful carbon credit monetization by other Indian entities: BMC earned Rs 27 crore, Gujarat Rs 22 crore, Indore Rs 8.34 crore, and Himachal Pradesh Rs 20 crore. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has called for a comprehensive policy document and SOP, and is exploring collaboration with BISAG-N for a digital carbon registry. The framework aims to integrate carbon screening into existing programs like CAMPA, MGNREGS, and HADP. If executed well, this could create a new revenue stream for the Union Territory while supporting climate resilience.