Category: National

Centre introduces amendment to forest conservation law; experts say move will destroy forests

The New Indian Express | March 31, 2023

The Bill emphasised on diversion of ‘deemed forest’ for non-forest use. The deemed forest is a kind of forest that is not notified as a forest, but in governments’ records, it is considered a forest.

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav introduced the forest conservation amendment bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill intends to exempt lakhs of hectares of forest land from mandatory forest clearance laws. Environmentalists see the amendments as a dilution of strong forest laws, consequently degrading the existing forest.

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Modi Govt Allows Commercial Mining in Captive Blocks Even in Reserved Forests

News click | Ayaskant Das | 30 March, 2023

Restrictions placed through forest clearance approvals on commercial sale of minerals from captive mines nullified with post facto effect.

New Delhi: In what could have far-reaching implications for the environment and livelihoods of communities living near forested areas of the country, the Narendra Modi government has allowed commercial mining from captive blocks even within reserve forests.

In a circular dated March 17, the Central government has asked state governments to allow lease holders of captive mines within reserved forests to sell up to 50% of total minerals extracted in a year after meeting end-use restrictions.

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Delhi NGOs received highest amount of foreign contribution: Centre

live mint | March 30, 2023

NGOs based in Delhi received the highest amount of foreign funds, followed by those based in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu out of the over ₹55,600 crore contribution sent to India from abroad in the last three years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

As per the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010, every non-governmental organization which receives foreign contributions has to submit an annual return along with the income and expenditure statement, receipt and payment account, and balance sheet for every financial year, said Union Minister of State for Home Nityananad Rai.

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Civil society organizations require wholesome support

live mint | March 30, 2023

Many donors query us about specific civil society organizations (CSOs), but more often, they want to understand the landscape of CSOs. Including the problems and complications, and what they should be aware of, as they fund CSOs—a phrase that includes non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and other kinds of not-for-profit organizations working for societal improvement. Such conversations happen with the entire range of donors: the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arms of business organizations, philanthropic foundations and individual donors. They talk to us because they are familiar with Azim Premji Foundation as one of the larger donors in the country, supporting hundreds of CSOs and in touch with even more.

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Forest cover down in 10 out of 13 Himalayan states: Report

The New Indian Express | March 24, 2023

However, the rest of the 10 states that have seen a reduction in forest areas are Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Ladakh.

NEW DELHI: According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR), there is an overall increase in forest cover of the country by 5,516sq.km between ISFR 2017 and ISFR 2021. Some states have shown an increase in forest cover, while others have shown a decline.

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