Latest Court Verdicts
SC directive on sacred groves
▪ SC held Rajasthan Forest Department to classify sacred groves as forests under WLPA 1972.
▪ Shifts control from communities to Forest Department, conflicting with FRA 2006
▪ Rajasthan’s ‘Orans’ (Sacred Groves): 25,000 hectares, crucial for biodiversity, water recharge, religious & cultural traditions.
▪ SC’s order overrides traditional conservation practices, affecting local governance & biodiversity
About sacred groves
▪ Community-protected Forest patches with cultural and ecological significance, conserved through traditional customs and religious beliefs.
▪ Found across India, these groves serve as biodiversity hotspots and water recharge zones.
Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility
Prashad scheme
▪ Parliamentary committee has asked the government to develop a clear-cut Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
About
▪ Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014.
▪ Provides Financial Assistance to the State Governments and Union Territories
Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 46 projects under its PRASHAD Scheme
▪ It is funded on a 100% public funding model for eligible project components.
▪ Additionally, the scheme incorporates voluntary contributions through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
