On World Environment Day 2023 (June 05, 2023), Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi launched two schemes named Amrit Dharohar Yojana and MISHTI Yojana (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), to revive wetlands and mangroves across India.
- As per the statement of PM, the number of wetlands and Ramsar sites in India have increased almost three times in the past nine years.
Amrit Dharohar Yojana:
The scheme was launched to conserve the existing Ramsar sites and achieve sustainable ecosystem development through public participation over the next three years, and make them as the centres of eco-tourism and a source of green jobs for thousands of people.
MISHTI Yojana:
i.Backdrop: In the Union Budget 2023-24, the Union govt announced the scheme MISHTI for mangrove plantation along the coastline and on salt pan lands, wherever feasible, through convergence between MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) Fund and other sources.
ii.The scheme envisages to comprehensively explore the possible area for the development of mangroves covering nearly 540 sq km, spreading across 9 states and 4 union territories(UTs) over 5 years(2023-2028), starting from FY24.
iii.It would facilitate in reviving and protecting the mangrove ecosystem and restore the mangrove cover in nine states across India. As part of the launch of MISHTI, mangrove plantation programs were organized at 75 mangrove sites in those 9 states.
- Union Minister of State for Tourism, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik planted mangrove saplings at Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Chorao, as part of the launch of MISHTI scheme.
- The program was organized in association with the Forest department, government of Goa and Wildlife and Ecotourim, Campal Range, North Goa, to mark World Environment Day 2023 on June 5, 2023.
iv.Under the scheme, best practices on plantation techniques, management practices, conservation measures and resource mobilization would be shared through the public-private partnership route.
v.The schemes would also help in mitigating the threat to lives and livelihoods in coastal areas from rising sea levels and disasters like cyclones.
vi.The Union Government will covers 80% of the project cost, while state governments contribute the remaining 20%.
Note – PM noted that to get rid of single-use plastic India started working on both central and state levels in 2018 with banning the single-use plastic and made the plastic waste processing mandatory.
- Due to this, there has been a compulsory recycling of about 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging in India, which is 75%of the total annual plastic waste produced in India, and around 10,000 producers, importers and brands have come under its ambit till date.
Additional info on Mangroves:
i.Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that grow in the coastal intertidal zone at tropical and subtropical latitudes near the equator as they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.
- Mangrove trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate. Mangroves forests are beneficial and important as they stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.
ii.As per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, India has about 3 percent of South Asia’s mangrove cover. Sundarbans in West Bengal, the Andaman and Nicobar region, the Kachchh and Jamnagar areas in Gujarat have substantial mangrove cover.
Recent Related News:
On 4th February 2023, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, launched the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’, a campaign structured on a “whole of society” approach for wetlands conservation, during the National level Celebration of World Wetlands Day at Nanda Lake in Goa.
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):
Union Minister – Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha – Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS ) – Ashwini Kumar Choubey
