{"id":16866,"date":"2023-07-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/uncategorized\/27-07-2023\/daily-current-affairs-27-07-2023\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T11:52:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T06:22:31","slug":"daily-current-affairs-27-07-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/27-07-2023\/daily-current-affairs-27-07-2023","title":{"rendered":"Daily Current Affairs &#8211; 27-07-2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Transgender Persons Can Avail Existing Quota<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of Population &amp; their Performance, Government policies &amp; intervention<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Union government has told the Supreme Court that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>transgender persons can avail of any of the existing 50% reservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in admissions and government jobs already available to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Socially and Educationally Backward Communities (SEBC) across the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>More about News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Social Justice Ministry has not mentioned reservation for the transgender community as a separate class.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Ministry\u2019s response came in a contempt petition accusing the government of not implementing the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>directions in the 2014 judgment in the NALSA case.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Supreme Court judgment in NALSA<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In fact, the Supreme Court in its 2<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>014 judgment in the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) case<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> had directed the Centre and the State governments to \u201ctake steps to treat transgender persons as socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and extend all kinds of reservation in cases of admission in educational institutions and for public appointments\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The judgment had also expressly directed the Centre and State governments to protect transgender persons from discrimination in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>employment and access to welfare schemes.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It had held that educational institutions were obliged to provide them with inclusive education.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The judgment had declared that hijras, eunuchs, apart from binary genders, be treated as third gender for the purpose of safeguarding their fundamental rights.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The NALSA judgment entitles trans persons to reservations on constitutional grounds. It does not, however, mention the nature of reservations \u2013<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> whether they are to be vertical or horizontal.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Horizontal and Vertical Reservation<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Reservation in education and employment can be divided into<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> two broad categories, namely, vertical and horizontal.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Vertical reservations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are provisions aimed at addressing social asymmetry arising out of caste hierarchy, and in the case of OBCs, social and educational \u201cbackwardness\u201d. These include reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Horizontal reservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, on the other hand, cuts across all vertical groups to provide affirmative policies for disadvantaged groups within categories. For example, disabled persons are guaranteed horizontal reservation in all the aforementioned vertical categories, general and reserved (vertical) alike, by the Central government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Demand for horizontal reservation for transgender community<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Transgender individuals have faced <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>long-term marginalization in society<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, warranting specific provisions and recognition of their social identity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A study reveals that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only 6 percent of transgender people were formally employed in 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, and many engage in informal work due to societal factors and survival needs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>NALSA judgment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> has been interpreted as directing reservations for transgender individuals in the OBC category due to their identification as a socially and educationally backward class.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>demand for horizontal reservation raises concerns that Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi transgender individual<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">s may have to choose between availing reservation based on caste and gender identities, leading to competition and exclusion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Challenges faced by Transgender Community<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Discrimination and ostracisation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> They face discrimination in employment, educational institutes, and within families which severely affects their overall wellbeing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Identity crisis:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> They are often forced to identify with a gender with which they are not associated at the workplace despite the government passing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 which allows the community the right to self-perceived gender identity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Social Stigma:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> They often face difficulty in property inheritance or child adoption. Because of being socially ostracised they are compelled to take up menial jobs despite good qualifications or forced into sex work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Unemployment:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The community has limited avenues of employment and faces severe discrimination at work because of the associated social stigma.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Lack of public amenities:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> They face issues with the accessibility of public toilets and public spaces. They often face problems in prisons, hospitals and schools.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Initiatives for Transgender Persons in India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The law passed by the Parliament aims to end discrimination against transgender persons in accessing education, employment and healthcare and recognise the right to self-perceived gender identity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It has been framed by the government to give effect to the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Council for Transgender Persons: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In pursuance of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the National Council for Transgender Persons has been constituted to advise the Central Government on the formulation and evaluation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects for the welfare of the transgender community.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reservation for the transgender community: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Union government is planning to bring reservations for the community under the OBC category in employment.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Portal for Transgender Persons: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a portal by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment which assists persons of the transgender community in applying for a Certificate and Identity card digitally from anywhere in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Garima Greh: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The scheme aims to provide shelter to Transgender persons, with basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and recreational facilities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/transgender-persons-can-avail-of-any-of-quota-benefits-available-to-the-marginalised-government-tells-sc\/article67124307.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Manual Scavenging<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Vulnerable Sections<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/govt-set-to-announce-india-manual-scavenging-free-by-august-246-districts-yet-to-self-declare\/article67045733.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Social Justice<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Ministry said recently that a total of 530 districts across the country reported themselves to be free of manual scavenging.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>More on the News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand are among the States and Union Territories that have the highest number of districts yet to declare themselves as <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/only-66-districts-in-country-free-of-manual-scavenging-social-justice-ministry-report\/article66938734.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">manual scavenging free<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">While 100% of districts in States like Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and a few others have declared themselves free of manual scavenging, in several States and Union Territories, only about 15% to 20% of the districts have reported so.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Manual Scavenging<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a practice of removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers manually.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the past, this referred to the practice of removing excreta from dry latrines. However, new modern sanitation technologies brought new forms of manual scavenging work, which include manual and unsafe cleaning of drains, sewer lines, septic tanks and latrine pits.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Manual Scavenging in India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">According to data from the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Commission for Safai Karamcharis<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, in the past 29 years (1993-2022), a total of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 989 members died<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in various parts of the country while cleaning underground sewage tanks.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Around<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 58,000 identified manual scavengers were being rehabilitated <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">under government schemes for compensations, capital subsidies and other benefits.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Among the manual scavengers identified in a survey, the maximum were in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Assam, Karnataka and Rajasthan.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Reason behind continued practice:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is rooted in caste-based discrimination and passed on to successive generations. According to data released by the government in Parliament in 2021, over 90% of manual scavengers identified in the surveys till 2018, were from Scheduled Caste communities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The workers, the women especially, continue to do so to sustain the family.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Government Measures to Tackle Manual Scavenging<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Legislative<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It set imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs 2,000 for pushing a person to manual scavenging.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Commission for Safai Karamcharis: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was constituted on 12th August 1994 as a statutory body through The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Act put an end to the practice of any form of manual cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling of human waste.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Executive<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) 2017 : <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was merged under the NAMASTE Scheme in 2022.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>NAMASTE(National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: It\u00a0 envisages identifying the Sewer\/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs), Occupational Training and distribution of PPE Kits to SSWs, Assistance for Safety Devices to Sanitation Response Units (SRUs), Extending Health Insurance Scheme, Livelihood Assistance and IEC Campaign.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>District sanitation committees<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: It looks at data of whether there are insanitary latrines. Each district is being asked to either declare itself as free of manual scavenging or point out locations of insanitary latrines and associated manual scavengers.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Swachata mobile app:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Since the launch of the Swachata mobile app in 2016, more than 6,000 complaints have been examined for possible signs of ongoing manual scavenging.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Constitutional Safeguards<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Right to Live with Dignity is implicit in the Fundamental Rights<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>(Article 21)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Article 46 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the Constitution provides that the State shall protect the weaker sections particularly, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Challenges:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Majority of the cases were<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> not recorded properly<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and would not have come to light if social media was not there. For instance, when the incident happens at a private company, they immediately give some money to the victims to prevent them from filing a case against them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most of the cases come out <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only when a person dies<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> while cleaning septic tanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Many individuals from oppressed communities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are into the occupation due to poverty and are involved in handling human and animal waste especially in urban areas.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The workers were <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>made to work in the most hazardous way. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>not enough protective gear and tech support <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and they continued to do it manually.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A Parliamentary Panel noted that<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> the conviction rate in these cases were very poor,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> noting that just one conviction had been recorded in 616 FIRs registered against contractors for unsafe sewer cleaning.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Measure Needed:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Procurement of machines for cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Effective monitoring by the local government to prevent such deaths.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There is a need for bio toilets to prevent such deaths of manual scavengers, increase in fund allocation for their rehabilitation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Way Forward<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should integrate scientific maintenance of sewer tanks as a topmost goal that will end the manual cleaning of septic tanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There should be provisions for better healthcare facilities, insurance cover and pension plans for victims of manual scavenging.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The laws should be enforced vigorously to eliminate manual scavenging in its entirety.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/530-districts-reported-as-free-of-manual-scavenging-centre\/article67124313.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Restoration of Seagrasses in the Baltic Sea<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Environment Conservation, Environmental impact assessment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In order to fight Climate Change, citizen divers restore seagrasses in the Baltic Sea .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About the Initiative<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Baltic Sea Seagrass Initiative<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> helps train local citizens to restore seagrass meadows in the Baltic Sea which can help tackle Climate Change.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These meadows act as natural sinks as they can store c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>arbon in large quantities.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ultimate goal of this initiative is to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> re-green the Baltic Sea.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fff2cc; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Baltic Sea<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> largest expanse of brackish water in the world<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the semi-enclosed and relatively shallow.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Baltic Sea is an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>arm of the North Atlantic Ocean<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. It is bound by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Scandinavian Peninsula<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the mainland of Northern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Europe, and the Danish islands.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Baltic Sea<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is artificially linked to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>White Sea by the White Sea Canal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>North Sea by the Kiel Canal.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Surrounded by countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It includes the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Gulf of Bothnia, the Bay of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga, and the Bay of Gda\u00c5\u201esk<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What are Seagrasses?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These are flowering plants that can be found on the seafloor. It is a group of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>marine angiosperm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">s. Seagrasses flourish all throughout the world in brackish (semi-saline) and salty waters, typically along gently sloping, safe beaches.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Since light is necessary for photosynthesis, they are most usually discovered in shallow depths with plenty of light.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Antarctica is the only continent devoid of seagrasses. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In India, it can be found in the lagoons of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay regions on the east coast, and the Gulf of Kachchh region<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Important Species: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some of the important seagrass species (Enhalus acoroides) include<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Sea Cow Grass<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (Cymodocea serrulata) etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Significance of Seagrasses:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Seagrasses are often referred to as<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> &#8220;Ecosystem Engineers&#8221; <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">since they are well-known for providing a range of ecosystem services.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They use photosynthesis to introduce oxygen into the water, they are frequently referred to as &#8220;the lungs of the sea&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Role in Biodiversity: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Seagrass meadows are home to a broad variety of marine creatures, including fish and other seafood.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By preserving these habitats, local communities will benefit economically and will be able to support healthy fisheries and ecosystems, ecotourism, and small-scale fishing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Threatened marine animals, such as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>dugongs (sometimes called sea cows)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, green turtles, and others, feed on the fronds of seagrass.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bottlenose dolphins eat the animals that live in ecosystems of seagrass<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Seagrasses can help fight Climate Change in following ways :\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Carbon Storage:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Seagrass meadows are incredibly effective in absorbing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Long-term storage:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Seagrass meadows have the ability to store carbon for thousands of years, unlike other carbon sinks like forests. The seagrass meadow&#8217;s roots and sediments are where the carbon is kept safe from deterioration and can be preserved for decades.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Threats and Concerns<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Around the world, seagrass beds are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>eroding at a rate of 2-5% per year<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Europe lost <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>one-third of its seagrass areas between 1860 and 2016<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(due to which carbon released into the atmosphere and enhanced Global Warming).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Among other natural disturbances (extreme dryness), these are susceptible to grazing, storms, ice-scouring (the abrasion and erosion of seabeds by glaciers), and desiccation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They are harmed by anthropogenic activities such e<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>utrophication, mechanical habitat loss, overfishing, nutrient runoff, building coastal infrastructure, pollution, etc<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Measures taken for the protection of Seagrasses:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Globally :\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Virginia Institute of Marine Science<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the eastern United States seeded 456 acres of the Chesapeake Bay with 7.65 million seagrass seeds<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">One of the most famous initiatives is the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> SeaStore Seagrass Restoration Project<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in Keil (Germany) by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>In India:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Institutions of higher learning and research have been heavily involved in studies on seagrass mapping, species diversity, and transplanting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The Government has also initiated a project across the States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha on enhancing climate resilience of India\u2019s coastal communities which includes a grant by<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> Global Climate Fund (GCF)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> covering 24 ecosystems in these selected States\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">It aims to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities by protecting and restoring India\u2019s natural ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Source: TH<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Madhav Gadgil Report<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recently a landslide in Maharashtra\u2019s Raigad district brought back into focus the Madhav Gadgil report on conservation of the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Background<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2010, the then Union Environment Minister appointed the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, to be chaired by ecologist Madhav Gadgil.The commission submitted a report to the Centre in 2011.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The committee was formed to study the impact of population pressure,climate change and development activities on the Western Ghats.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Recommendation of the report<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ecologically Sensitive Zones:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The report recommended classifying 64 percent of the Western Ghats into Ecologically Sensitive Zones called ESZ 1, ESZ 2 and ESZ 3.It also recommended designating the entire region as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Almost all developmental activities like mining, construction of thermal power plants, and dams were to stop along with the decommissioning of similar projects that have completed their shelf life in ESZ 1.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Bottom-to-top approach<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in governance of the environment, indicating decentralization and more powers to local authorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Western Ghats Ecology Authority<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: Under the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> a professional body to manage the ecology of the region and to ensure its sustainable development was recommended by the committee.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ban on growing single commercial crops:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Crops like tea, coffee, cardamom, rubber, banana and pineapple, which have led to \u201cfragmentation of forest, soil erosion, degradation of river ecosystems and toxic contamination of the environment\u201d should be curtailed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Community participation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The panel had urged the Ministry of Environment and Forests to take critical steps to involve citizens, including proactive and sympathetic implementation of the provisions of the Community Forest Resources of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Forest Rights Act.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In all the zones, genetically modified crops should not be allowed, use of plastic bags be prohibited, Special Economic Zones should not be permitted, new hill stations should not be allowed, changing the land use from farmland to non-farm land and the stoppage of diversions of rivers to protect the ecology of the region, and public lands should not be converted into private lands.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>K Kasturirangan committee<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Different stakeholders resisted the implementation of the recommendations of the Gadgil panel amid fears of hindrance to development and loss of livelihood.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Later in 2012, the then Environment Minister constituted a High-Level Working Group on Western Ghats under K Kasturirangan.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Recommendations of the Kasturirangan committee report<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Kasturirangan report notified only<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 37 percent<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the area as an ecologically sensitive area.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It also split the Western Ghats into cultural (human settlements) and natural (non-human settlements) regions. It was suggested that cultural lands be designated as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>It also consisted of red, orange and green categories.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>red list<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> entailed a ban on mining, stone quarrying, thermal plans and certain construction and township projects. <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The orange category<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> had activities that would be regulated and taken up with appropriate permissions, while the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>green category <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">allowed all agricultural and horticultural activities and commercial activities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Western Ghat<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Western Ghats are a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1,600-km<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> long mountain chain along the west coast of India running from the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\u00a0river Tapi in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It\u00a0 covers <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>six states<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u2014 Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. About 60 percent of the mountain range is in Karnataka.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Significance:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These Ghats are home to high mountain forests, which moderate the tropical climate of the region. They are home to 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Western Ghats were accorded the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>World Heritage Status by UNESCO<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2012.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-climate\/raigad-landslide-focus-madhav-gadgil-report-western-ghats-esz-8857084\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (DPT)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was held at Canberra in Australia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The discussions focused on identifying ways to strengthen partnership in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>co-development and co-production of defence equipment.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>fully implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Indian side highlighted the potential of the Indian defence industry with capacity and capability to cooperate with Australian Armed forces in its <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>shipbuilding and maintenance plans.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The 8th DPT <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>reviewed the outcomes of maiden 2+2<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> conducted in 2021. Both sides agreed for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>early finalization of the hydrography agreement.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>India-Australia Defence Relations<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India and Australia upgraded their bilateral relationship from a \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>strategic partnership\u2019 in 2009 to a \u2018Comprehensive Strategic Partnership\u2019 in 2020.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Over the past few years,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> several institutional mechanisms<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> have been implemented to promote bilateral cooperation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bilateral mechanisms include high-level visits, Annual Meetings of Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers\u2019 Framework Dialogue, 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministers\u2019 Dialogue, Joint Trade &amp; Commerce Ministerial Commission, Defence Policy Talks, Australia-India Education Council, Defence Services Staff Talks, Energy Dialogue, JWGs on different issues etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The two countries have expanded their strategic partnership, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>focusing on maritime security, counter-terrorism, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Initiation of Strategic Dialogue<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: In 2020, Australia and India elevated their Secretaries 2+2 dialogue (Defence and Foreign Affairs) to the Ministerial level. Now the minister<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>s meet once every two years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to discuss the progress made under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Malabar Exercise:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> In 2020, Australia participated in the MALABAR naval exercise and thus <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>joined India, the U S and Japan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The exercise<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> united four regional defence partners and democracies, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">signifying a collective resolve to support an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>AUSINDEX<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: Rendezvous between the Royal Australian Navy and the Indian Navy has been innovative through the critical bilateral exercise called AUSINDEX.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Pitch Black exercise<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: A significant beginning of defence rendezvous was traversed when, for the first time, the Indian Air Force joined Exercise Pitch Black in Darwin in 2018.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Australia\u2019s multifaceted exercise encompasses air forces from<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> several Australian allies and partner countries.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India\u2019s partaking was further significant for staging the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> first mid-air refueling of an IAF combat aircraft<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (Su-30MKI) by a RAAF aircraft (KC-30A), showing a notch of coordination not previously offered.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement and Defence Science &amp; Technology Implementing Arrangement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: India and Australia clinched the Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2020<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The pact enables more scholarly operational cooperation, enabling increasingly complex military engagement and excellent collective receptiveness to regional benevolent disasters.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The shared military platforms:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Indian and Australian militaries have become increasingly<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> interoperable <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">through the increasing number of shared media, thereby growing opportunities for shared training.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These include <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>C-17 strategic transport aircraft, C-130 tactical transport aircraft, P-8 maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The exchanges of military officials for training:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> India shapes its relations with its defence forces through regular personnel and training exchanges, such as short specialist courses and longer-term positions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Every year, India and Australia send officers to attend each other\u2019s premiere military educational institutions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1942826\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Lok Sabha passes Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Government Policies &amp; Interventions; GS3\/Conservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The Lok Sabha passed the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>recently<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, without any changes from the version first introduced.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>About the Forest Conservation Act, 1980<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The contentious Bill was introduced <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>to amend<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Forest Conservation Act, 1980.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The 1980 legislation has empowered the Centre for the last four decades, to ensure that any forest land diverted for \u2018non-forestry\u2019 purposes is duly compensated.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">It extends its remit to land even beyond what is officially classified as \u2018forest\u2019 in State and Central government records.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>About the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Restrictions on activities in forest:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> The Act<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> restricts the de-reservation of forest<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> or <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>use of forest land for non-forest purposes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Such restrictions <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>may be lifted<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> with the prior approval of the central government.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Non-forest purposes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> include <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>use of land for cultivating horticultural crops<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> or for <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>any purpose other than reafforestation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Assigning of land through a lease or otherwise: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Under the Act,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> state government or any authority <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">requires prior approval of the central government to direct the assigning of forest land<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> through a lease or otherwise to any organisation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> (such as private person, agency, authority, corporation) not owned by the government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Building forest carbon stock &amp; improving livelihood: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The predominant idea of the proposed changes is <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>to build forest carbon stock <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">by <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>raising plantations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The Bill talks about keeping up with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>\u201cdynamic changes in the ecological, strategic and economic aspirations of the country\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>\u201cimprovement of livelihoods for forest-dependent communities.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The scope of the amendments boils down to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>pushing plantations to achieve carbon neutrality<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> by limiting the scope of the Act.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Compensatory afforestation: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The Bill also seeks to<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> make land available for developers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>meet their legal obligation <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">towards <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>compensatory afforestation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> in lieu of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>forest land diverted<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> for <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>development projects<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">If the scope of the FC Act is restricted, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>fewer projects will be required to obtain forest clearance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, which is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> considered a \u2018hurdle\u2019 by most developers <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">in and outside the government.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">But it will also help developers secure forest clearance when they need it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">A key condition for forest clearance is that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>a developer must carry out compensatory afforestation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> on<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> equivalent non-forest land<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> or, if non-forest land is not available, on degraded forest land twice the extent of the forest area diverted.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>State of India\u2019s forest cover<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India\u2019s forest cover has seen <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only marginal increases<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, as biennial reports of the Forest Survey of India illustrate.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Growth in forest cover inside officially recorded forests is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> stagnant, or at best incremental.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is tree cover in orchards, plantations and village homesteads that has been on the rise and supplementing India\u2019s claim that 24% of its area is under forest and tree cover.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India has committed to increasing this number to 33% and adding a carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide this way, by 2030, as part of its international climate commitments.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>Need &amp; Rationale behind the Bill<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Dilution of Apex Court\u2019s judgments: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">There were objections that the amendments \u201cdiluted\u201d the Supreme Court&#8217;s 1996 judgment in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Godavarman case<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> that extended protection to wide tracts of forests, even if they were not recorded as forests.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>No contribution to \u201cregeneration\u2019 of Natural forests: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The amendments effectively mean <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>States can no longer classify<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> unclassified forest land, or patches of trees with forest-like characteristics as \u2018forest land\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The amendments also allow forest land, up to 100 km near India\u2019s borders, to be appropriated, without central approval, for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cstrategic and security\u201d purposes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The primary criticism is that these amendments do not really contribute to regenerating natural forest, but rather<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> incentivise afforestation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>commercial ends<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Issues of carbon stock: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Grooming private forests might look good in theory but expecting them to be a permanent carbon stock is wishful thinking given that strong market incentives exist to use them as \u2018carbon credits\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>No specific conditions for denying: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">There are no specific conditions laid by the environment ministry for outrightly denying permission for deforestation for development projects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Affecting indigenous communities: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Any review of the FC Act is an opportunity to make suitable concessions for land that has<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> traditionally been under the control of indigenou<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">s and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>forest communities.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Even after the enactment of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Forest Rights Act, 2006<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, the scope for their <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>consent has eroded incrementally<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> when it came to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> diversion of forest land for development projects<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Now,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> they may have no say on the extensive plantations <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">that are envisaged on land on which they depend as communities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Choosing plantation over forests: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Forests are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> a lot more than a sum of trees<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">. Unlike <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>man-made plantations, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">natural forests perform a range of ecosystem services that are <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>key to the survival and well-being of the millions of species<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> that they support, and also provide direct livelihood and subsistence to crores of people.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Non-inclusivity of nomenclature: There were objections to the Act\u2019s new name \u2014 Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, translated as Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Act, instead of the existing Forest (Conservation) Act \u2014 on the grounds that it was \u201cnon-inclusive\u201d and left out many among the \u201c(non-Hindi speaking) population both in South India and also in the North-East.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Land parcels near borders: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">There were also objections that large parcels of forest land near the borders would no longer be protected.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Relooking at \u2018conservations\u2019: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">While new climate realities might necessitate changes to the way conservation laws are interpreted, these must be backed by rigorous scientific evidence.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The recent <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">also stated that not degrading existing ecosystems in the first place will do more to lower the impact of the climate crisis than restoring ecosystems that have been destroyed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Facts In News<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Mangrove cell<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Environmental Conservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>West Bengal <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">announced the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>setting up of a \u2018mangrove cell\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in the State, on the occasion of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>More on the News:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>West Bengal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is a home to about <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>40% of the mangrove forests in India.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The mangrove cell has an action plan for the plantation of mangroves.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will also look at maintenance and coordinate with NGOs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The cell will also generate funds from private and international sectors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 15px;\">\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 609px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; width: 609px; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>The <\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unesco.org\/en\/days\/mangrove-ecosystem-conservation\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is celebrated every year on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>26 July<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as \u201ca unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This International Day was <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/unesdoc.unesco.org\/ark:\/48223\/pf0000235350\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">adopted<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>(UNESCO) in 2015<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Mangroves<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>coastal intertidal zone.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are about <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>80 different species<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of mangrove trees. All of these trees grow in areas with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>low-oxygen soil, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mangrove forests <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only grow at tropical and subtropical latitudes near the equator<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many mangrove forests can be recognized by their <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>dense tangle of prop roots<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This tangle of roots allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides. The roots also slow the movement of tidal waters, causing sediments to settle out of the water and build up the muddy bottom.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mangrove forests <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>stabilize the coastline,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The intricate root system of mangroves also makes these forests attractive to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>fish and other organisms seeking food and shelter <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">from predators.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Their soils are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>highly effective carbon sinks,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> sequestering vast amounts of carbon.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/45245\/OPS\/GH4BHMAD9.1+GSKBHN6CK.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Global ESG Conclave<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recently the Global ESG Conclave 2.0, was held in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Dubai.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>It was organized <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">by the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The sessions were aimed to shed light on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into strategic business decisions and quantifying their impact on financial infrastructure and sustainability.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Themes<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Integrating ESG into strategic business decisions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Quantifying ESG for a robust financial infrastructure framework.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Managing transition risk and developing ESG pathways to reach net zero targets.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Managing uncertainty on future ESG regulation and compliance.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ESG &amp; Urbanization.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ESG Practices for Logistics and Retail Management.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organization is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Environmental Criteria<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> include direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, management\u2019s stewardship over natural resources, and the firm\u2019s overall resiliency against physical climate risks (like climate change, flooding, and fires).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Social Criteria <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">inspects an organization\u2019s management of relationships with its employees, suppliers, customers, stakeholders, and the community at large.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Corporate Governance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> considers the organization\u2019s management structure, executive compensation, internal controls, and Stakeholder rights.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Evolution of ESG<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> As far back as the 1980s, organizations in the United States were considering how to use regulation to manage or reduce pollution produced in the pursuit of economic growth. They sought to also improve employee labor and safety standards.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Corporate Sustainability:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> EHS evolved in the 1990s into the Corporate Sustainability movement under which some management teams wanted to focus on reducing their firms environmental impacts beyond the legally mandated reductions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By the early 2000s, the corporate sustainability movement began to integrate ideas around how companies should respond to social issues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>ESG:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Finally by the late 2010s ESG emerged as a much more proactive and comprehensive framework.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Relevance of ESG<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Paris Agreement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, India has committed to achieving <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>net zero <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">emissions by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2070.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Accordingly, corporate entities must integrate ESG principles to safeguard the environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If a business is not conscious about sustainability, its business processes might become redundant in the future, due to legal and regulatory changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ESG adoption will boost corporate growth, enhance the public image, and help companies raise capital at lower costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Compliance by Indian companies with the ESG regulations will be critical if India is to take full advantage of the growing decoupling from China and play a more prominent role in global supply chains and the global marketplace.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/newsonair.gov.in\/News?title=Second-Edition-of-Global-ESG-Conclave-conducted-at-Dubai%2c--Addresses-Crucial-Topics-for-Sustainable-Businesses&amp;id=464974\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>AIR<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Instant Settlement of Trades<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has said it is working on real time settlement of transactions in the Indian stock exchange.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is meant by trade settlement?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018Settlement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019 is a two-way process that involves the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> transfer of funds and securities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> on the settlement date. As of now, there is a lag between trade and settlement \u2014 the settlement date is different from the trade date.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A trade settlement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is said to be complete once purchased securities of a listed company are delivered to the buyer, and the seller gets the money.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The current cycle of \u2018T+1\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in India means trade-related settlements happen within a day, or within 24 hours of the actual transaction. The migration to the T+1 cycle came into effect in January 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India became the second country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to start the T+1 settlement cycle in top listed securities after China, bringing operational efficiency, faster fund remittances, share delivery, and ease for stock market participants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Real time settlement\/T+0\u2019 settlement<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>T+0 settlement cycle,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> if investors sell shares, they will get the money in their account instantaneously, and the buyers will get the shares in their demat accounts the same day.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2018T+0\u2019, settlement<\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of trades will be possible with the real-time payment system \u2014 Unified Payments Interface (UPI), online depositories, and technology stack.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The investor\u2019s money will not get stuck with brokers or stock exchanges, they will get the money on the same day after the transactions happen.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-economics\/sebi-instant-settlement-of-trades-what-it-means-8859692\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Government Policies and Interventions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A Bill, \u201cJammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023\u201d is recently tabled in the Lok Sabha\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About the Bill:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> nominate two members from the \u201cKashmiri Migrants\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">community as members of the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>One of the members will be a woman.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It also proposes to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> nominate one member from \u201cPakistan-occupied Kashmir\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, displaced in the 1947-48, 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Bill aims<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> \u201cto preserve their political rights\u201d and \u201coverall social and economic development.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Background:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The special status of Jammu and Kashmir under <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Article 370<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was struck down by Parliament in August 2019 and the former State was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>bifurcated into two union territories \u2014 Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> the latter without an Assembly.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since 2018 and Assembly elections are yet to take place.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Delimitation Commission<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> received many representations from the two communities regarding reservation of seats in the Assembly. The commission recommended representation by way of nomination.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It shall be given on lines of Section 15 of the 2019 Act, which provides for the representation of women.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>commission increased total seats of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly from 107 to 114<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> with reservation of nine seats for Scheduled Tribes for the first time.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/centre-moves-bill-to-nominate-two-members-from-kashmiri-migrants-to-jk-assembly\/article67124239.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Cooperation between \u2018India AI\u2019 and Meta<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018India AI\u2019 \u2013 an IBD under Digital India Corporation and Meta, India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> have signed an MoU.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About the MoU<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Objective:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> To establish a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> framework for collaboration and cooperation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> between \u2018India AI\u2019 and Meta in the field of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Artificial Intelligence &amp; Emerging Technologies<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Both organisations may also consider establishing a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Centre of Excellence<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to nurture the startup ecosystem of AI &amp; other Emerging Technologies.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Leveraging Meta&#8217;s AI research models like LlaMA, Massively Multilingual Speech, and No Language Left Behind, the partnership will focus on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>building datasets in Indian Languages<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to enable translation and large language models, with priority given to low-resource languages.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This effort will foster <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>social inclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>improve government service delivery, and spur innovation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> using large language models, Generative AI, cognitive systems, and translation models.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2018India AI\u2019 and Meta will strive to enhance <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>accessibility to AI compute resources <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">for researchers, startups, and organizations with limited resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About India AI<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">INDIAai is the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National AI Portal of India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and is a joint initiative by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ministry of Electronics and IT, National e-Governance Division, and NASSCOM<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The portal was inaugurated in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2020.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The INDIAai portal currently is the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>central hub<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for everything AI in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The portal covers the latest updates in the world of AI in India and around the world through news and articles; offer insights into opportunities, scopes, and challenges created by AI.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It also provides resources for aspiring entrepreneurs, students, professionals, academics, and other curious minds.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1943049\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Union government has told the Supreme Court that transgender persons can avail of any of the existing 50% reservation in admissions and government jobs already available to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Socially and Educationally Backward Communities (SEBC) across the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[28,29],"class_list":["post-16866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-indian-express","tag-thehindu"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16866"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16871,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16866\/revisions\/16871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}