What this scheme offers
Conservation policy usually works by restriction — protected forests, regulated water sources — which can leave the communities living closest to that land carrying the cost without seeing any of the benefit. GREEN Meghalaya+ inverts that: a direct financial incentive for communities that actively protect forests, water sources and biodiversity, treating conservation as work worth paying for rather than a rule to be enforced against people's own economic interest. In one disbursal round, over 2,700 beneficiaries received ₹25.54 crore, taking the programme's cumulative allocation to ₹180 crore since it began.
Who is eligible
- Community or individual in Meghalaya engaged in verified ecosystem conservation activity (forest protection, water source conservation, biodiversity efforts).
- Registered through the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority's verification process.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card
- Community/village council endorsement, where applicable
- Land or conservation-area documentation
- Bank account details
How to apply
- Contact your local Village Employment Council or the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority to register your community's conservation activity.
- Submit documentation of the conservation area and activity undertaken.
- A verification process confirms the conservation work meets the scheme's criteria.
- Once approved, the financial incentive is disbursed to the community or individual beneficiaries.
- Check with the Basin Development Authority for the current application cycle, as disbursal happens in rounds.