A Grant Agreement from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank of USD 24.64 million for “Ecosystem Service Improvement Project” was signed here today by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Hisham Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director for India on behalf of the World Bank. The Project Agreements were signed by Dr Neelu Gera, DDG (Research) on behalf of the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE), Shri Amitabh Agnihotri, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on behalf of Madhya Pradesh Government and Shri R.B.P. Sinha, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on behalf of Chhattisgarh Government with the Acting Country Director for India, World Bank.

The size of Project is USD 24.64 million which entirely will be financed by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund. The project’s duration is 05 years.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will implement the Project in the States of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh through Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education under the National Mission for Green India. The objective of the Project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Departments of Forestry and Community Organisations to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of forest dependent communities in Central Indian Highlands.

Grant Agreement secures international finance for ecosystem service improvements enabling institutional capacity building and livelihood support. A Grant Agreement between the Government of India and the World Bank under the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund will finance the five-year Ecosystem Service Improvement Project. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will implement the Project in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh through the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education under the National Mission for Green India, with the objective of strengthening institutional capacity of forestry departments and community organisations to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve livelihoods of forest-dependent communities in the Central Indian Highlands.