PRS
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Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
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Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act: Strategic Border Exemptions & Agro-Forestry Scope
Distilled Policy Brief
- Restricts the Act's primary purview to land recorded as forest in government records or declared as reserved/protected forest under the Indian Forest Act 1927.
- Exempts strategic linear projects within 100 km of international boundaries/LAC/LoC from prior central approval for national security infrastructure.
- Permits non-forest activities including zoos, safaris, and ecotourism facilities in forest areas to promote conservation education and community livelihoods.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
100 km strategic border exemption for defence projects; scope calibrated post Godavarman (1996) ruling; non-forest exemptions for zoos and ecotourism.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Evaluate the tension between national security infrastructure in sensitive Himalayan frontiers and ecological fragility / biodiversity conservation.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.
Forensic Anchor: Cabinet Allocation of Business Rules & NCAP Framework
Examiner Trap Takeaway: UPSC swapped Central Pollution Control Board role with State Pollution Control Boards for state-level monitoring.