Daily News Analysis 28 March 2023

                                             Cheetah dies

 

Relevance in UPSC: 

GS Paper 3: Biodiversity and Environment

Important For

Prelims: About Asiatic and African Cheetah, Kuno National Park

Mains: Conservation efforts by Government

 

Why in News?

Sasha, one of the cheetahs brought from Namibia, died of a kidney ailment at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Key Highlight

• Wildlife Institute and Kuno National Park got her medical history from Namibia and found that the creatinine count in her last blood test done on August 15, 2022, was more than 400 which showed she was suffering from renal infection before coming to India.

Comparison Between African and Asiatic Cheetah

 

	Asiatic Cheetah	African Cheetah
CITES Status	Appendix I	Appendix I
IUCN Status	Critically Endangered	Vulnerable
Area	Only few Left in Iran	Northwest Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa
Physical Characteristics	Slightly smaller and slender than the African Cheetah. Their neck is much smaller and slender. Also, their legs are slender.	Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah, slightly bigger build and sturdy legs and neck.
Food Intake	Limited source especially medium sized prey like Chinkara, Gazelle etc.	Diverse diet due to bigger habitat

 

About Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh

 

Location	·        It is in the Sheopur district of MP established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary. ·        In 2018, it was given the status of a national park. ·        It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests.
River Passes	One of the main tributaries of the Chambal River, the Kuno River, cuts across the whole length of the National Park division.
Fauna present	·        Indian wolves, jackals, leopards, langur monkeys, blue-bull, chinkara, and spotted deer. ·        In Kuno National Park, chital is the most abundant prey for carnivorous species.
Why Kuno For Cheetah Reintroduction?	·        Open woodlands, ·        Savanna, ·        Dry deciduous forests. ·        Evergreen riverine forests.
Climate	Tropical Monsoon Climate
Flora	·        The dominant tree species are Acacia catechu, Salai Boswellia serrata, Tendu Diospyros melanoxylon, Palash Butea monosperma, etc. ·        Majorly of Sal tree (Shorea Robusta)

 

 

About Wildlife Institute of India

• It was established in 1982.
• It is located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It offers training programs, academic  courses and advice on wildlife research and management.

 

 

FINANCE BILL PASSED

 

GS Paper 2: Polity and Governance

Important For

Prelims: About Finance Bill

Mains: Procedure of Passing Finance Bill

 

Why in News?

The government completed its budgetary exercise for 2023­24, with both Houses of Parliament approving the Finance Bill, 2023.

About Finance Bill

• Under Article 110 of the Indian Constitution, the Finance bill is a monetary bill.
• This bill includes all the necessary amendments to the various laws relating to taxation and is in line with the tax proposals set out in the Union budget.
• The Finance Bill acts as a Money Bill and must be passed by the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliment.
• The finance law becomes the finance law after approval by the Lok Sabha.

Difference between Money Bill and Finance Bill

 

Money Bill	Finance Bill
According to Article 110 of the Constitution, a Money Bill must be presented to the Lok Sabha. It is then forwarded to the Rajya Sabha for advice.	In general, any law that deals with revenue and expenditure is a budget law.
Rajya Sabha must return the invoice with notice within 14 days.	The Finance Bill is tabled in the Lok sabha.
However, the Lok Sabha may reject any or all of the proposals.	Rajya Sabha can propose amendments to the law. However, the bill must be approved by Parliament within 75 days of its introduction.

 

Types of Finance Bill

Finance Bill (I)-Article 117 (1)

• The Finance Bill (I) not only covers some or all of the matters mentioned in the money Bill, but also other matters of general legislation.
• This is dealt with under Article 117, Section 1 of the Constitution.
• It is similar to the Money bill in two respects –
  • Both can only be introduced in Lok Sabha and not in Rajya Sabha.
  • Both must be introduced on the recommendation of the President.
• In all other respects, a financial bill (I) is treated as an ordinary bill
  • It can be rejected or modified by Rajya Sabha.
  • If the houses disagree on these drafts, the President may convene a joint session of the houses to break the deadlock.
  • When a bill is submitted to the President, he may approve or disapprove of it, or send it back to the House for reconsideration.

 

Finance (II) Act – Article 117(3)

• The provisions of the Finance (II) Act affect disbursements from the Consolidated Fund of India excluding all items listed in Article 110.
• It is assimilated to an ordinary bill and is subject in all respects to the same parliamentary procedure as an ordinary bill.
• The only difference in this bill is that it cannot be enacted by either House of Parliament unless the President asks that House to consider the measure.
• Accordingly, the Finance Bill (II) can be tabled in either House of Parliament and does not require the approval of the President.
• In other words, the President\’s proposal is not required at the introductory stage but at the consideration stage.
• Both houses of Parliament could choose to reject it or modify it. If both houses disagree with such a law, the president can call a joint session of both houses to break the deadlock.
• When a measure is sent to the President, he can accept it, disapprove it or send it back to the House for reconsideration.

 

 

Conservation Plan for Great Indian Bustards

 

GS Paper 3: Biodiversity and Environment

Important For

Prelims: About Great Indian Bustard

Mains: Government Efforts for Conservation

 

Why in News?

The Ministry is taking various measures for conservation and protection of Great Indian Bustard in the country, including in Rajasthan.

Key Highlights of Important Steps Taken

• The Great Indian Bustard is listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby according it the highest degree of legal protection from hunting.

• Important habitats of Great Indian Bustards are designated as National Parks/ sanctuaries for their better protection.

• The species has been identified for conservation efforts under the component ‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitats.

• Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/ Union Territory Governments under the scheme for providing better protection to Great Indian Bustard and its habitat.

• Conservation breeding of the Great Indian Bustard has been undertaken in collaboration with Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra Forest Departments and technical support of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun with the aim of building a captive population of the species for release in the wild and promoting in-situ conservation of the species.

• Sites for establishment of a conservation breeding centres for the Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican birds have been identified in consultation with the Forest Departments of Rajasthan and Gujarat, Wildlife Institute of India and international experts.

• A satellite conservation breeding facility has been established at Sam, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

• The Ministry provides financial assistance to the States/ Union Territories under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

 

 

About Green Indian Bustard

 

 

 

 

IUCN STATUS	Critically Endangered
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972	Schedule I
Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)	Appendix I
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)	Appendix I
Types of Species Present In India	Lesser Florican (scientific name – Sypheotides Indicus)    ·        It originates from India. ·        It is mainly distributed in North West and Central regions of India. ·        This species almost resembles the Bengal florican.   Bengal Florican (Scientific Name – Houbarobsis Bengalensis)    ·        Bengal Florican, or Bengal Bustard, is another species from the Indian subcontinent. ·        About 1,500 of them live in Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.