17th August 2023 (9 Topics)
MoEFCC refuses the merger of autonomous bodies
Context
Recently, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued a notification mentioning to get back from its move to establish integrated regional offices by merging offices of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).
About the merger:
- The merger notification proposes to reorganize existing regional offices by collaborating all bodies.
- The MoEFCC dropped the merger plan, likely owing to technical and administrative difficulties in merging the institutions in question.
- The NTCA is the managing authority of Project Tiger and India’s Tiger Reserves.
- The FSI is a scientific body that primarily deals with forest data.
- The WCCB is an enforcement authority.
- And the CZA’s purview is limited to the functioning of zoos.
Concerns related to merger:
- Jurisdiction overlap: The Indian government announced a plan to merge Project Tiger and Project Elephant. Tiger Reserves are recognised under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 but Elephant Reserves are not.
Functions of the autonomous bodies:
|
Parameters |
NCTA |
WCCB |
CZA |
FSI |
|
Established by
|
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. |
It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. |
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. |
Forest Survey of India (FSI) is a premier national organization under the union Ministry of Environment and Forests. |
|
Administered under
|
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for constituting the NTCA. |
It was constituted by amending the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. |
It was established in 1992 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. |
It functions under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It was founded in 1981. |
|
Chaired by
|
The Inspector-General of Forests, in charge of project Tiger, will be ex-officio Member Secretary. |
It is governed by Chief Wildlife warden. |
It is chaired by the Environment Minister and consists of ten members and a member-secretary |
FSI is headed by a Director General supported by two Joint Directors and eight Deputy Directors at headquarters. |
|
Function
|
Approving the tiger conservation strategy of state governments. Establishing tourism standards and project tiger guidelines for tiger reserves. |
It assists foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control. |
The Central Zoo Authority's mission is to provide better upkeep and veterinary care to the wild animals housed in zoos in India to ensure their conservation through best practices of management and bringing education & awareness among the people. |
Acting as a nodal agency for collecting, compiling, storing and disseminating spatial database on forest resources. |
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