Current Affairs 11-DEC-2023 (The Hindu)

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR)

(D => Pg-11)

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR)

• TANP - Oldest and largest National Park of Maharashtra.
• One of India’s 47 project tiger reserves.
• Location - Chandrapur district, Maharashtra.
• Located 150 km from the city of Nagpur.
• Tadoba - derived from the name of God "Tadoba" or "Taru".
• Andhari - derived from the name of Andhari river that flows in this area.

Natural Vegetation & Wildlife

• Forest type - Tropical dry deciduous.
• Teak - prominent tree species.
• Major part of the forests is in Hilly areas
  • Hillocks & terrains - provide shelter to the wild animals in this reserve.
• Faunas - Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, gaur, chital, and sambar.
• Main attraction - Jungle or Tiger Safari in an open-top gypsy.

National Board of Wildlife

• 2003 - Set up under Section 5A of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002.
• It replaced the Indian Board for Wildlife.
• Composition - 47-member committee
  • Head - Prime Minister.
  • Vice-Chairperson - Minister in charge of the MOEFCC.
  • Other members - from the government, Parliament & NGOs.
  • 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists, and environmentalists.
• Functions
  • Power to review all wildlife-related matters.
  • Granting approval to the projects in & around national parks and sanctuaries.
  • Granting approval to the alteration of boundaries of national parks and sanctuaries.
  • Note - Decisions of the board are advisory in nature.

Practice Question – Prelims

This Tiger reserve is one of the oldest and largest Tiger reserves of Maharashtra. The tiger reserve is mostly dominated by the Tropical dry deciduous forests. In the Tiger reserve, you can take bath in a holy river and worship a tribal deity present here. The names of the deity and the river forms part of the name of the tiger reserve. You can also see the animals like Leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, gaur, chital and sambar through jungle safari in the tiger reserve.

The above paragraph represents which one of the following Tiger Reserve?

(a) Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

(b) Pench Tiger Reserve

(c) Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

(d) Melghat Tiger Reserve

PM Vishwakarma Scheme

(C => Pg-14)

PM Vishwakarma Scheme

• Launched on September 17, 2023, on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti.
• Aim - to support workers who engage in traditional crafts and skills.
• Central Sector Scheme
• Budget - Rs. 13,000 crore.
• Timeline - period of 5 years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28).
• Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
• Joint Implementation by 3 Ministries
  • MSME Ministry,
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,
  • Ministry of Finance.

Objectives

• To strengthen and nurture the Guru-Shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills.
• To improve the quality of products & services of artisans and craftspeople.
• To improve the reach of products & services of artisans by integrating with the domestic & global value chains.
• 18 Traditional occupations are covered under the Scheme.

Benefits of the Scheme

• Vishwakarma workers are registered for free through Common Services centers using biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal.
  • Providing recognition - PM Vishwakarma certificate & ID card.
• Artisans & craftspeople are provided with the credit Support of up to Rs. 2 lakh.
  • Credit will be given with a concessional interest rate of 5%
• The Scheme provides Skill Upgradation and Toolkit Incentive.
• It also provides marketing Support to artisans and craftspeople.
• Stipend of Rs. 500 for skill training per day.
• Rs. 15,000 grant for purchasing modern tools.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements about PM Viswakarma Yojana:

1. It is a Central Sector Scheme.

2. The Nodal ministry for the Implementation is the Ministry of Skill development.

3. The Scheme solely focuses on skill development without any credit facility.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only Two

(c) All three

(d) None

Air pollution

(D => Pg-8)

Practice Question – Mains GS – II/III

Enumerate the reasons and effects of rising air pollution in India. List out the steps taken by the Indian government to tackle air pollution.

Air pollution

• Air pollution - contamination of the indoor or outdoor air.
• Caused by chemical, physical, or biological agents.
• Modifies natural characteristics of the air present in the atmosphere.

IQAir’s ‘World Air Quality’ report, 2022

• India - 8th most polluted country in the world.
• 39 Indian cities - listed in the 50 most polluted cities in the world.
• Air pollution is the 2nd biggest risk factor for disease in India.

Causes of Air Pollution

• Industrial and vehicle emission
  • Burning of fossil fuels.
  • Hydrocarbons.
• Agricultural practices
  • Byproduct of agriculture - ammonia.
  • Stubble burning, slash and burn agriculture.
  • Monocropping of rice.
• Construction & demolition activities.
• Methane emission from landfills.
• Use of firecrackers.

Effects of Air Pollution

• Respiratory diseases
  • Cancer and stroke.
  • Reduced life expectancy.
• Climate change.
  • Extreme weather events.
  • Economic & livelihood losses.
• Depletion of the Ozone layer.
  • Melting down of glaciers.

Measures Taken by Government

• National Clean Air Program (NCAP)
  • Aim - to reduce the concentration of Particulate Matter in the environment by at least 20% in 2024.
  • Coverage - 102 cities including Delhi.
• National Air Quality Index (AQI).
• Stricter emission standards for vehicles - Bharat Stage VI Norms.
• FAME India Scheme.
• Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR dhan) and ethanol blending.

Conclusion

• Economic development - accompanied by environmental pollution.
• India - target of achieving 50% of installed capacity of clean energy by 2030.
• India’s current installed capacity of clean energy - around 44%.
• India is nearing to achieve the 50% target before the deadline of 2030.
• Needs enhanced target - to achieve net-zero emission by 2070.