PIB 7th June 2021

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2021

Focus: GS III- Environment

Why in news?

The World Environment Day is observed on the 5th of June every year for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.

About World Environment Day

• The United Nations Assembly established World Environment Day in 1972, which was the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the human environment.
• The theme for 2021: ‘Ecosystem Restoration’.
• It will kick off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) – a global mission to revive billions of hectares, from forests to farmlands, from the top of mountains to the depth of the sea.
• The theme for this year’s in India is ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’.
• Host Nation: Pakistan will be the global host for 2021.

Initiatives Taken by India:

• E-100 pilot project has been launched in Pune for the production and distribution of ethanol across the country.
• The government is releasing the E-20 notification that will allow oil companies to sell 20% ethanol blended petrol from 1st April, 2023, and BIS specifications for ethanol blends E12 and E15.

NATIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS BOARD

Focus: GS-II Health, Regulatory bodies

About National medicinal plants board:

Nodal: Ministry of AYUSH

• It was established by the Government of India in 24th November 2000.
• Its mandate is to promote the medicinal plant’s sector by developing a suitable mechanism which will support policies and programs for the cultivation and export of medicinal plants.
• The growing demand for medicinal plants is met by the NMBP’s focus on conservation and augmentation of local medicinal plants and spices of significance.
• The NMPB encourages research and development, capacity building through training and promotion of actives such as the creation of herbal gardens at the home and school levels.
• The board also supports programs for quality assurance, which institute a credible mechanism for the certification of quality raw drugs, seed and planting material.

The functions of the National Medicinal Plant Board:

• Advise concerned Ministries and State/ Union Territory Governments on policy matters relating to schemes and programs for the development of medicinal plants.
• Identification, Inventorisation and Quantification of medicinal plants.
• Promotion of co-operative efforts among collectors and growers and assisting them to store, transport and market their products effectively.
• Setting up of data-base system for incentivisation, dissemination of information and facilitating the prevention of Patents being obtained for medicinal use of plants which is in the public domain.
• Undertaking and awarding Scientific, Technological research and cost-effectiveness studies.
• Development of protocols for cultivation and quality control.
• Encouraging the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.

VAN DHAN VIKAS YOJANA

Focus: GS II- Government policies and intervention, Prelims

Why in news?

VDVKs launch plantation drive on the occasion of World Environment Day.

About Van Dhan Vikas Yojana:

Nodal: Ministry of Tribal affairs

• TRIFED is the implementation agency of the Van Dhan programme
• The program addresses the formidable problems that the Tribals face such as possession of land/house with no rights; restrictions in the collection of minor forest produce; exploitation by middlemen; displacement from national parks and wild sanctuaries, lack of development in forest villages etc.
• The Van Dhan Yojana or Van Dhan Scheme, a component of the The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP’
  • An initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal gatherers and transforming them into entrepreneurs.
  • The idea is to set-up tribal community-owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) in predominantly forested tribal districts.
  • A Kendra shall constitute of 15 tribal SHGs, each comprising of up to 20 tribal NTFP (Non timber forest products) gatherers or artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Van Dhan Kendra.
  • 100% Central Government Funded with TRIFED providing Rs. 15 lakhs for each 300 member Van Dhan Kendra.

TRIFED:

Nodal: Ministry of tribal affairs

• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987.
• It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Objectives

• The ultimate objective of TRIFED is socio-economic development of tribal people in the country by way of marketing development of the tribal products.
• TRIFED acts as a facilitator and service provider for tribes to sell their product.
• The approach by TRIFED aims to empower tribal people with knowledge, tools and pool of information so that they can undertake their operations in a more systematic and scientific manner.