India 2018

Environment 213
Under this scheme, the establishment and operational expenditure on the
Eco Task Force (ETF) Battalions raised by Ministry of Defence is reimbursed by
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change while the inputs like
sapling, fencing, etc., and also the professional and managerial guidance is
provided by the state forest departments.
National Mission for Green India
The National Mission for a Green India (GIM), one of the eight missions under
the National Action Plan on Climate Change aims at protecting and enhancing
India's diminishing forest cover to counter the perils of climate change. It
envisages a holistic view of greening and focuses on multiple ecosystem services
along with carbon sequestration and emission reduction as co-benefit.
The Mission embarks on meeting the challenge of climate change adapation
and mitigation through sub-missions and a cross-cutting intervention: a)
enhancing quality of forest cover and improving eco-system services; b) ecosystem
restoration and increase in forest cover; c) agroforestry and social forestry;
d) promoting alternative fuel energy.
Declaring Eco-Sensitive Areas in Western Ghats
The Western Ghats is a global biodiversity hotspot and a treasure trove of
biological diversity harbouring many endemic species of flowering plants, fishes,
amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates. It is also the origin of
Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and a number of other rivers of Peninsular India,
upon which much of the economy of the region is dependent. Therefore, there
is a need to conserve and protect the unique biodiversity of Western Ghats,
while allowing for sustainable and inclusive development of the region. The
concept of Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) provides a mechanism to conserve
biological diversity of an area while allowing for sustainable development to
take place.
National Natural Resources Management System
The Scheme "National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS)" of
the Ministry is a part of an umbrella scheme of the erstwhile Planning
Commission-Planning Committee-National Natural Resources Management
System (PC-NNRMS) and is in operation since, 1985. The prime objective of
PCNNRMS is utilization of remote sensing technology for inventorization,
assessment and monitoring of country's natural resources.
Forestry Research
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, (ICFRE), an apex
body in the national forestry research system, has been undertaking the holistic