Tiger Corridors

Source: Indian Express (IE)

Context:
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has restricted the definition of tiger corridors to only the 32 “least-cost pathways” mentioned in the 2014 report and Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs). Under this move, recent scientific studies have been excluded.

About the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

What is it?

• A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• The apex authority for tiger conservation and management of tiger reserves in India.

Establishment:

• Constituted in 2005 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (2006 amendment).

Leadership:

• Chairperson: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Vice-Chairperson: Minister of State (Environment).
• Member Secretary: Senior official from MoEFCC (usually Additional Director General, Wildlife).

Structure of the Organization

1. Chairperson – Union Minister of Environment.
2. Members – Experts in ecology, wildlife, tribal welfare, NGOs, and Members of Parliament.
3. Member Secretary – Senior MoEFCC official overseeing administrative functions.
4. Field-level collaboration – Works with state forest departments, tiger reserves, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Functions and Powers

• Approves Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs) prepared by states.
• Frames guidelines for tourism, coexistence, and protection of buffer areas.
• Notifies tiger corridors to ensure ecological connectivity.
• Provides financial assistance for tiger conservation projects.
• Periodically evaluates the status of tigers and their habitats.
• Regulates projects in tiger reserves and corridors under Section 38(O) of the Wildlife Protection Act.
• Oversees the implementation of Project Tiger and conducts the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE).

Significance of the Current Issue

• Setback for conservation: Excluding WII studies and AITE data will weaken corridor protection.
• Industrial advantage: Mining and infrastructure projects may now escape stricter scrutiny.
• Legal impact: The Bombay High Court will decide whether NTCA’s stance aligns with its statutory obligations.
• Ecological threat: Limiting corridors to minimal routes may affect gene flow and long-term survival of tigers.
• Policy contradiction: NTCA itself had acknowledged in 2014 that “alternative connectivity exists and should also be conserved.”

National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)

Source: The Hindu

Context:
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has issued a directive giving priority in organ allocation to women patients and female relatives of deceased donors. The objective is to address the long-standing issue of gender disparity.

About National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)

What is it?

• An apex government body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• Functions as the national coordination centre for organ and tissue donation/transplantation.
• Headquarters: Institute of Pathology (ICMR) Building, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

Objectives:

• To coordinate, regulate, and promote organ and tissue donation and transplantation in India.
• Ensure safe, transparent, and efficient allocation and utilization of organs and tissues.

Establishment:

• Established in 2014 under the mandate of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 (amended in 2011).

Chairmanship:

• Operates under the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), MoHFW.

Structure of the Organisation

1. National Network Division – Maintains a central registry of donors and recipients.
2. National Biomaterial Centre – Tissue banking for corneas, bones, skin, etc.
3. Coordination with ROTTOs & SOTTOs – Regional and State-level organisations for organ transplant.

Functions & Powers

• Maintain a national database of organ and tissue donations.
• Ensure transparent allocation of organs through centralised waiting lists.
• Issue guidelines and protocols for ethical transplantation.
• Train transplant coordinators and medical staff.
• Conduct awareness campaigns to promote voluntary organ donation.
• Support hospitals in setting up retrieval centres and trauma-linked donor facilities.
• Monitor compliance with THOA, 1994 to prevent organ trafficking and commercial trade.

Fortified Rice Scheme Extended till 2028

Source: PIB

Context:
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the universal supply of fortified rice under all government schemes till December 2028. The Central Government will provide 100% funding of ₹17,082 crore for this initiative.

About the Fortified Rice Scheme

What is this scheme?

• It is a nutritional intervention program under which fortified rice containing Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12 is provided through government food security mechanisms.
• Objective: To combat anemia, malnutrition, and hidden hunger in India.

Launch:

• Pilot Phase: Started in 2019.
• National Expansion: Approved in 2022 for universal coverage.

Nodal Ministry & Agency:

• Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
• Technical Standards: Defined by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Components of the Scheme

1. Public Distribution System (PDS): Distribution of fortified rice through fair price (ration) shops.
2. PM Poshan (Mid-Day Meal): Inclusion of fortified grains in school meals to reduce anemia among children.
3. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Supply to child and women beneficiaries.
4. Special Nutrition Initiatives: Distribution under Wheat-Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG).

Key Features

• Universal Coverage: By March 2024, fortified rice replaced normal rice in all central government schemes.
• Nutritional Focus: With added Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12, the scheme aims to tackle anemia, neurological deficiencies, and cognitive disorders.
• Cost Management: Entire fortification cost borne by the Government of India.
• Supplementary Fortified Foods: Promotion of Double Fortified Salt (DFS) and fortified edible oil under PM Poshan.
• Multi-sectoral Convergence: Linked with Anemia Mukt Bharat (2018) and nutrition awareness campaigns.
• Monitoring: States and UTs are responsible for ensuring quality, compliance, and proper distribution.
• Partnerships: Collaboration with NDDB Foundation for Nutrition (Gift Milk Program) to promote supplementary nutrition in schools.

Kerala Becomes India’s First Fully Digitally Literate State

Context
The Chief Minister of Kerala declared Kerala as India’s first fully digitally literate state. This announcement came after the successful completion of Phase I of the Digi Kerala project. The initiative aimed to eliminate the digital divide and train citizens in basic digital skills across all local bodies.

Key Features of the Achievement

• Mass Coverage: Surveys covered 1.5 crore individuals from 83.46 lakh families.
• Targeted Intervention: 21.88 lakh digitally illiterate individuals were identified, of which 21.87 lakh (99.98%) successfully completed training and evaluation.
• Inclusive Approach: Senior citizens also participated — even 104-year-old M.A. Abdullah Maulavi Baqavi received training, reflecting accessibility and inclusiveness.
• Grassroots Participation: Training was delivered through local bodies, showcasing Kerala’s tradition of decentralisation and participatory governance.

Significance for India’s Governance and Development

1. Bridging the Digital Divide
   • Ensures equal access to e-governance, financial inclusion, and welfare schemes.
   • Example: Digital access to Ayushman Bharat, PM-Kisan, or Jan Dhan benefits.
2. Strengthening Digital Democracy
   • Connects citizens with digital platforms for grievance redressal, filing RTIs, and online civic participation.
   • Promotes transparency and accountability.
3. Model for Digital India
   • Kerala offers a scalable model for other states, focusing not only on infrastructure but also on grassroots-level training.
4. Socio-Economic Empowerment
   • Brings women, elderly, and disadvantaged groups out of digital exclusion.
   • Promotes relevant digital skills for livelihoods, self-help groups, and small businesses.
5. Resilience in Governance
   • A digitally literate population can better adapt to crises like pandemics or natural disasters through online services and e-learning.

Ninth Schedule of Indian Constitution

Syllabus: Polity
Source: New Indian Express (NIE)

Context

The Ninth Schedule, added through the First Constitutional Amendment (1951), was originally proposed by V.K. Thiruvenkatswamy (Advocate General of Madras). Its primary purpose was to protect land reform laws from being struck down by courts. Over the decades, it became the focal point of the legislature–judiciary tussle—sometimes seen as enabling social justice reforms, while at other times raising concerns over the erosion of constitutional freedoms.

Historical Background & Rationale

• In 1951, the Patna High Court struck down Bihar’s land reforms, leading to a deadlock between Parliament and the judiciary.
• In response, the First Amendment introduced:
  • Article 31A – Protection of agrarian reform laws from legal challenge.
  • Article 31B and the Ninth Schedule – Blanket immunity to laws placed in the Schedule.
• Initially, 13 state laws (mostly on zamindari abolition) were placed under the Ninth Schedule, which later expanded to over 280 laws.
• Political objective: Break feudal structures and implement Directive Principles of State Policy in Articles 38, 39(b), and 39(c) for equitable distribution of resources.

Judicial Developments

• Shankari Prasad Case (1951): SC upheld the First Amendment and validity of Ninth Schedule.
• Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967): Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights → Ninth Schedule laws questioned.
• Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973): Introduced the Basic Structure Doctrine—Parliament cannot alter the basic structure of the Constitution.
• Waman Rao v. Union of India (1981): Cut-off date fixed—laws placed before 24 April 1973 valid; those added later subject to judicial review.
• I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007): Any post-1973 law in Ninth Schedule is reviewable if it damages the basic structure.

Positive Aspects

1. Agrarian Revolution: Enabled zamindari abolition; millions of farmers benefitted (e.g., by 1960, over 2 crore acres of zamindari abolished in UP alone).
2. Social Justice: Protected welfare laws on land ceilings, tenancy rights, and reservations.
3. Policy Stability: Reduced litigation—over 50 land reform laws survived due to Ninth Schedule by 1970.
4. Constitutional Flexibility: Democratic mandate prioritised over colonial property rights.
5. Equality Vision: Helped link state action with goals of social justice.

Challenges

1. Legislative Overreach: By 2000, more than 284 laws, many unrelated to land reforms, placed under Ninth Schedule.
2. Erosion of Fundamental Rights: Blanket immunity diluted Articles 14, 19, and 21.
3. Legislature–Judiciary Conflict: Particularly visible after Kesavananda and Coelho rulings.
4. Scope for Misuse: Governments used it for political gains (e.g., Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation law).
5. Uncertainty in Application: Even after Coelho, unclear how courts will apply the “basic structure” test to welfare laws.

Way Forward

1. Restrict Scope: Limit Ninth Schedule to land and equality-based reforms only.
2. Judicial Clarity: Courts should adopt uniform standards for applying the basic structure test.
3. Legislative Restraint: Parliament must exercise self-discipline and use immunity sparingly.
4. Protective Mechanisms: Introduce sunset clauses and periodic review.
5. Balanced Approach: Legislature should push social justice while judiciary safeguards equality, liberty, and rule of law.

Conclusion

The Ninth Schedule was a bold constitutional innovation that laid the foundation for land reforms and social justice in India. However, its excessive use risks undermining constitutional guarantees. Going forward, its application must remain narrow, restrained, and consistent with the basic structure doctrine so that it continues to shield genuine reforms without encroaching upon fundamental rights.