Indian Railways has laid down Policy guidelines recently to assign carbon saving points, termed as Rail Green Points, to freight customers. It will be applicable only to the freight customers who are registered on e-RD portal of Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) starting April 2022.
Customers who place demand online (on e-demand module) for freight services will be prompted by a ‘Pop up’ thanking him/her for choosing to transport by Indian Railways giving details of the expected saving of carbon emission called Rail Green Points. Once RR (Rail Receipt) is generated, the saving of carbon emission will be credited to customer’s account in the form of Rail Green Points and the cumulative points will also be shown in his/her account on Freight Business Development portal. Downloadable certificate displaying Rail Green Points may be provided in the system.
The Rail Green Points can’t be claimed by any customers for any benefit from Railways. Rail Green Points will be reckoned on financial year basis. The ‘Feel Good Factor’ that customers would get from this information will motivate them to transport more by train. Moreover, the corporate customers may like to mention it on their website, in their Annual Reports as their contribution towards protection of environment.
The module for Rail Green Point will be developed by CRIS/FOIS. CRIS will also evolve some kind of Green Star Rating type concept for customers for identification based on their Rail Green Points.