Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has approved the Gujarat Urban Greening Policy, 2026, requiring cities across the state to increase their green cover by at least 20% over the next 10 years. The policy links financial incentives for urban local bodies (ULBs) to their performance in creating and maintaining green spaces.
The policy, formulated by the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, will cover all 169 urban local bodies in Gujarat, comprising 17 municipal corporations and 152 municipalities. It will remain in force for a decade from November 2026 and undergo a review every two years.
Moving beyond conventional tree-plantation campaigns, the initiative seeks to make green infrastructure an integral part of urban planning, with a focus on addressing rising temperatures, pollution and stormwater management.
Urban Forests, Green Corridors and Rooftop Gardens
The policy envisages a wider network of green spaces across cities, including:
- Urban forests and biodiversity parks.
- Green belts and corridors.
- Roadside plantations and neighbourhood gardens.
- Rooftop gardens and vertical gardens.
- Green facades in residential, commercial and institutional buildings.
Read Also: Gujarat Launches ₹10-Crore Growth Fund for Startups, Offers Up to ₹2 Crore in Funding
The approach aims to expand greenery across different types of urban spaces rather than relying solely on large-scale plantation drives.
Green Star Rating to Assess City Performance
A key feature of the policy is the introduction of an annual Green Star Rating Mechanism to assess the performance of urban local bodies.
The assessment will consider indicators such as plantation activity, sapling survival, accessibility of green spaces and environmental outcomes.
Cities will be classified into three categories based on their scores:
- Promising Green Cities: 50%–69%
- Progressive Green Cities: 70%–84%
- Pioneer Green Cities: Above 85%
The highest-performing city will receive the annual recognition of ‘Ultimate Green City of Gujarat’.
ULBs performing well will be eligible for additional state funding and priority access to grants. Those falling short will be asked to undertake corrective measures. Cities scoring below 50% for two consecutive years will be placed on an improvement track under state-level monitoring.
80% Sapling Survival Target and Five-Year Monitoring
The policy places emphasis on the survival and maintenance of plantations, setting a minimum 80% survival target for planted saplings.
Payments for plantation projects will be linked to verified sapling survival and plant health over a minimum five-year period. This is intended to ensure that plantation projects are maintained beyond the initial planting stage.
Implementation and Monitoring Framework
For implementation, urban greening cells will be established under the parks and gardens departments of municipal corporations, urban development authorities and area development authorities.
The Gujarat Urban Development Mission will function as the technical nodal agency. A state-level monitoring committee, headed by a senior official of the Urban Development Department, will supervise implementation, expenditure, plantation survival and progress towards green-cover targets.
The committee will meet quarterly during the first year and twice a year thereafter.
With nearly 48% of Gujarat’s population living in urban areas, the policy seeks to strengthen the role of green spaces in making cities more liveable while addressing environmental pressures associated with urbanisation.
