India Awards Its First PRAMAAN Certificates Under Forest Certification Scheme

Key facts

• Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav handed over India's first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) in New Delhi on September 29, 2026.
• Certificates were awarded to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations covering 33,000 hectares and to a farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA).
• The event was organised by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, which serves as the scheme's operating agency.
• IFWCS was launched by the Ministry in December 2023, and the certificates mark its transition from policy framework to field-level implementation.
• PRAMAAN stands for Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of sustainable Management practices for Agroforestry And Natural forestry resources.
• Forest management certification under PRAMAAN is assessed against the Indian Forest Management Standard, part of the National Working Plan Code 2023, and relies on independent audits by certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India.