- Why in news
- On 9 March 2026, NHAI released the first annual report on the National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) 2025–26, prepared with ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre.
- What it is
- The NH-GCI is a satellite-based measure of vegetation within the Right of Way along National Highways. It is reported as a percentage of land under green cover, at one-kilometre granularity. It rests on a three-year NHAI–NRSC MoU and is meant to track plantation progress year on year.
- Publisher
- The report is released by NHAI, the agency under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- Partner
- It was prepared with the National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO.
- Method
- Green cover is derived from chlorophyll content detected by high-resolution satellite sensors.
- Unit
- NH-GCI is a percentage of land under green cover within the Right of Way, at one-kilometre granularity.
- Coverage
- About 30,000 km across 24 States, for July–December 2024.
- MoU
- It runs under a three-year NHAI–NRSC MoU signed in January 2024.
Don’t confuse with NRSC vs ISRO: NRSC is the ISRO centre in Hyderabad that handles remote sensing data; ISRO is the parent space agency.
Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.
Why it matters
- Gives an objective, comparable measure of highway plantation, allowing ranking and targeted action.
Problems
- Satellite chlorophyll readings show vegetation presence, not species, survival or quality of plantations.
Way forward
- Use year-on-year NH-GCI data to fix accountability for plantation upkeep and extend coverage to all National Highways.
Put in your answer
NH-GCI: First annual satellite-based green cover index, covering about 30,000 km in 24 States.
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- 2020Mains GS1 · Q17Examine status of India's forest resources and their impact on climate change
- 2016Prelims Q33Aim of Green India Mission: restoring forest cover and climate response measures
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) report has been released by the National Highways Authority of India.
- 2.The NH-GCI estimates green cover from chlorophyll content detected by high-resolution satellite sensors.
- 3.The NH-GCI is reported as a percentage of green cover within the Right of Way at a granularity of ten kilometres.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 5
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The National Highways Green Cover Index is published by NHAI.
True. NHAI released the report.
2.The report was prepared in coordination with the National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO.
True. NRSC, ISRO is the technical partner.
3.The index estimates green cover from chlorophyll content detected by satellite sensors.
True. Chlorophyll detection from high-resolution satellite sensors is the basis.
4.The NH-GCI is reported as a percentage at a granularity of ten kilometres.
False. The granularity is one kilometre.
5.The first cycle covered about 30,000 km of National Highways across 24 States.
True. About 30,000 km in 24 States were covered.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.