New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS): Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday handed over the first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) that validate responsible, deforestation-free timber sourcing in New Delhi.
PRAMAAN is a vital instrument to meet emerging global requirements for responsible, deforestation-free timber sourcing and livelihood generation, said the Union Minister.
The minister said that PRAMAAN reflects India’s broader journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 as it signifies a developed India that combines economic growth with ecological stewardship.
The certificates were presented to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for its plantations over an area of 33,000 hectares and to Govind Mohapatra, a farmer associated with Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA), according to an official statement.
Yadav described PRAMAAN as a vital instrument for Indian producers, exporters and forest-based enterprises to meet emerging global regulatory requirements, including due diligence and responsible deforestation-free timber sourcing norms adopted by major international markets.
He said that as global trade increasingly links market access to verifiable sustainability credentials, PRAMAAN positions India not merely to comply, but to lead in sustainable forest management and tree outside forest management systems under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local and Act Global’.
The Union Minister expressed happiness that several State Forest Departments, Forest Development Corporations, farmers and industries have applied for Forest Management, Tree Outside Forest Management and Chain of Custody certification and the same are in various stages of the process.
The minister highlighted that PRAMAAN’s accreditation architecture, benchmarked against international certification frameworks, ensures that certification issued under the scheme carries recognition from both domestic and global buyers and regulators.
He noted that PRAMAAN’s forest management certification is anchored in the principles of the National Working Plan Code (NWPC) 2023, ensuring that certification is built on a foundation of forest management audited by third-party rather than voluntary self-declaration alone.
The minister said the initiative will get Viksit Bharat@2047 global recognition as not just a producer of sustainable goods but a leader in sustainable governance.
He complimented IIFM and the ministry, and concluded by calling upon the certification bodies, state forest departments, tree growers, farmer producer organisations, farmer producer companies, Industries, institutions, to strengthen their participation in PRAMAAN so that India’s forests, and the communities who depend on them, are positioned at the centre of the next generation of global sustainable trade.
The plantations of those who were awarded PRAMAAN certificates on Tuesday underwent a rigorous field and management audit before certification, the statement said.
The certificates mark the culmination of the processes established since the launch of IFWCS by the Ministry in December 2023, signifying its transition from a policy framework to field-level implementation across both forest plantations and tree-based farming, it said.
