Greening India's Wastelands with Agroforestry (GROW) Report

The GROW report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis for greening and restoration projects was recently released by the NITI Aayog.

• Greening India's Wastelands with Agroforestry (GROW) Report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.
• It is an initiative of NITI Aayog.
• NITI Aayog utilized remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
• Using thematic datasets, an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national-level prioritization.
• Current report underscores the potential benefits of converting underutilized areas, especially wastelands, for agroforestry.
• The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• Agroforestry integrates trees, crops, and livestock, addressing food, nutrition, energy, employment and environmental challenges.

Minimum Support Price (MSP)

Around 200 farmers’ unions from Punjab are set to reach the national capital in the coming days as part of the protest to bring in a law guaranteeing minimum support prices or MSP.

• Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.
• MSP are announced by the Government at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• The major objectives are to support the farmers from distress sales and to procure food grains for public distribution.
• The MSPs based on cost-plus pricing, without any consideration to market demand.
• The determinants of the MSP include:

• Price Deficiency Payments (PDP) – It entails the government not physically purchasing or stocking any crop, and simply paying farmers the difference between the market price and MSP, if the former is lower.
• It is not similar to the MSP.
• PDP was tried out first in Madhya Pradesh through a Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana.
• To know more about the MSP Click Here

Floor Test

Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar recently won a floor test in the Bihar legislative assembly.

• A floor test, is also known as Trust vote is primarily taken to know whether the executive enjoys the confidence of the legislature.
• It is held in legislative bodies, to find out whether the government that is suspected to have lost the majority still retains the confidence of the House. This is done through a vote among the members.
• It is a constitutional mechanism under which a Chief Minister appointed by the governor can be asked to prove majority on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.
• When the House is in session, it is the Speaker who can call for a floor test.
• When the Assembly is not in session, the Governor’s residuary powers under Article 163 allow him to call for a floor test.
• Procedure – In case the majority held by the government is questioned, the leader of the party which claims to have the majority has to move a vote of confidence and prove a majority among those present and voting.
• The CM moves a motion seeking a vote of confidence, on which MLAs who are present in the House vote.
• If the majority of members vote in favour, the government survives; if the CM loses the vote, the government has to resign.
• This happens both in Parliament and the state Legislative Assemblies.
• Voting can be conducted by either a voice vote, in which MLAs respond to the motion verbally.
• Voting electronically involves the casting of votes by pressing a button, after which the numbers for each side are displayed on a board.
• In a physical division of votes, lawmakers cast votes in a ballot box, which are then counted.

Conference of Parties (COP14) of the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS)

The Conference of Parties (COP14) of the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) was recently started in which the stakeholders will come together to agree on strategies for the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.

• CMS COP14 is a significant international meeting where governments, scientists and stakeholders will come together to agree on strategies for the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.
• During the conference, the terrestrial animals are proposed for listing in the CMS list.
• It will address a wide range of important conservation priorities and new initiatives, including many that will support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
• The conference is held at Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• The theme of the CMS COP14 is ‘Nature knows no borders’.
• Conference of Parties – The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the principal decision making body of the Convention.
• It meets once every three years and sets the budget and priorities of the following three years (the triennium).
• It also decides on the amendment of the Appendices and considers reports submitted by the Parties, the Scientific Council and the Agreements established under the Convention.
• It also has the task of recommending to Parties whether they should conclude further regional Agreements for the conservation of particular species or groups of species.
• All the Parties are entitled to attend the Conference and participate in the votes.
• Non-Party States are entitled to send observers, as are NGOs active in the field of conservation and other United Nations organizations.

Gupteswar Forest, Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.

• Gupteswar Forest – It is located in Odisha and was recently declared as the Bio-Diversity Heritage site.
• It adjacent to Gupteswar Shiva temple in Odisha and 4th Biodiversity-Heritage Site (BHS) of the state.
• Significant faunal species like mugger crocodile, kanger valley rock gecko, sacred Grove Bush Frog, and avifauna like black baza and so on are found in this forest.
• Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary – It is located in Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is located between the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu and the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary of Karnataka.
• Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary – It is located in the Chengalpattu District of Tamil Nadu.
• This bird sanctuary is one of the oldest bird protected areas in the country as well as in the State of Tamil Nadu.
• This site is also recognized internationally, as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).