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).
