★★★★★ 5/5
Prelims: Environment– Biodiversity Heritage Sites, Gupteswar Forest
Mains: General Studies-III: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Why in News
Odisha Govt has declared Gupteswar Forest in Koraput dist as its fourth Biodiversity Heritage Site.
Key Facts 🗝️
- Other Biodiversity Heritage Sites in Odisha :
- Mandasaru (Kandhamala district),
- Mahendragiri (Gajpati district),
- Gandhamardan (Bargarh & Bolangir districts)
About Gupteswar Forest
- It is near to the Dhondrakhol reserve forest under the Jeypore forest area.
- Significant faunal and floral species : mugger, kanger valley rock gecko, sacred grove bush frog, and avifauna like black baza, Jerdon’s baza, Malabar trogon, common hill myna, white-bellied woodpecker, and banded bay cuckoo.
- threatened medicinal plants – Indian trumpet tree, Indian snake root, Cumbi gum tree, garlic pear tree, Chinese fever vine, Rohituka tree, Jodpakli, Indian jointfir.
Biodiversity Heritage Site
- About: Biodiversity heritage sites are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with high diversity of wild and domesticated species, presence of rare and threatened species, and keystone species.
- Legal Provision: As per provision under Section 37(1) of Biodiversity Act 2002 The State Government may, from time to time in consultation with the local bodies, notify in the Official Gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as under this Act.
- Restrictions: Creation of BHS may not put any restriction on the prevailing practices and usages of the local communities, other than those voluntarily decided by them.
Source: TH
★★★★★ 5/5
Prelims: Env – Species Conservation Hawksbill Turtle, Angelshark
Mains: General Studies 3- Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Why in News
The 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) on February 14 adopted the Single Species Action Plan for conservation of the Hawksbill Turtle and Angelshark in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific Ocean Region.
Key Facts
- Hawkbill turtle IUCN – Critically Endangered
- Angelshark IUCN – Critically Endangered
- Both Species under Appendix 1 of CMS listed species
About
Hawksbill sea turtle
- Maturation is slow and is estimated between 25 – 40 years
- Habitat : nest on insular and mainland sandy beaches throughout the tropics and subtropics
- Found in : species is migratory in nature and nesting occurs in about 70 countries across the world, In India they are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the coast of Tamil Nadu and Orissa
- Threats :
- shell trade
- slaughter for meat
- oil pollution
- destruction of nesting and foraging habitats
- Hybridisation of Hawksbills with Other Species
- Entanglement – including Fishing Gear.
Angelshark :
- They commonly inhabit sandy seabeds close to 150 m in depth.
- Habitat – Once common over large areas of the Northeast Atlantic from Norway, Sweden, Morocco and the Canary Islands, to the Mediterranean and Black Seas, fishing pressure has resulted in significant population decline.
- Breathing : Angelsharks have a unique way of breathing compared to most other benthic fish. They use gill flaps located under their body to pump out water during respiration.
- Protection : UK government afforded the angel shark full protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
- Threats :
- Destruction of Habitats
- Bottom Trawling
Source: DTE
UPSC CSE Question/PYQ’s
Prelims:
Q. Consider the following statements: (2019)
- Some species of turtles are herbivores.
- Some species of fish are herbivores.
- Some species of marine mammals are herbivores.
- Some species of snakes are viviparous.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: d. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explaination :
- Green sea turtles are adapted to the mostly vegetarian diet of sea grasses and algae. As adults, these are the only predominantly herbivorous sea turtles, although they are carnivorous from hatching until juvenile size. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- Surgeonfish and parrotfish are two species of fish often seen feeding on reef algae. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- Manatees, sometimes called sea cows, are large mammals that live in the warm sea waters. They live in shallow coastal areas and feed on sea vegetation. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
- Snakes that are viviparous nourish their young ones through a placenta and yolk sac. Boa constrictors and green anacondas are two examples of viviparous snakes.
★★★★★ 4.5/5
Prelims: Economy – Constitutional Bodies
Mains: General Studies 3- Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.
Why in News
16th Finance Commission held its first meeting recently.
Key Facts 🗝️
- Art 280 – Constitution of Finance Commission by the President
- Art 281– the President puts recommendations of the Finance Commission report before each House of Parliament along with an explanatory note and the action taken by the government on the Commission’s recommendations.
- The First Finance Commission was constituted under the chairmanship of Shri K.C. Neogy in 1952.
About
Finance Commission
- Constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution.
Objective:
- To give its recommendations on distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States and amongst the States themselves.
- Redressing the vertical imbalances between the taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities of the Centre and the States respectively;
- Equalization of all public services across the States.
Functions of the Finance Commission:
- The distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds;
- The principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India;
- The measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats in the State on the basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State;
- The measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Municipalities in the State on the basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State;
- It is important to note that recommendations made by the Commission are not binding on the Government.
Terms of Reference for the 16th Finance Commission
- Distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States.
- Allocation between the States of respective shares of such proceeds.
- Principles governing grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States from the Consolidated Fund of India.
- Sums are to be paid to the States as grants-in-aid for specified purposes under Article 275 of the Constitution.
- Measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of Panchayats and Municipalities.
Source: TH
UPSC CSE Question/PYQ’s
Prelims:
Q. Consider the following: (2023)
- Demographic performance
- Forest and ecology
- Governance reforms
- Stable government
- Tax and fiscal efforts
For the horizontal tax devolution, the Fifteenth Finance Commission used how many of the above as criteria other than population area and income distance?
(a) Only two
(b) Only three
(c) Only four
(d) All five
Ans: B. only three
Explaination :
Horizontal Devolution Criteria
- Population:
- The population of a State represents the needs of the State to undertake expenditure for providing services to its residents.
- Area:
- The larger the area, greater is the expenditure requirement for providing comparable services.
- Forest and Ecology:
- Share of dense forest of each state in the aggregate dense forest of all the states, the share on this criteria is determined.
- Income Distance:
- It is the distance of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of a particular state from the state with the highest GSDP.
- Demographic Performance:
- It rewards efforts made by states in controlling their population.
- This criterion has been computed by using the reciprocal of the total fertility ratio of each state, scaled by 1971 population data.
- States with a lower fertility ratio will be scored higher on this criterion.
- Tax Effort:
- This criterion has been used to reward states with higher tax collection efficiency.
- This criterion has been used to reward states with higher tax collection efficiency.
Mains:
Q. Discuss the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission which have been a departure from the previous commissions for strengthening the local government finances. (2013)
