THE CONTEXT: Conflict between humans and animals is one of the main threats to the long-term survival of some of the world’s most iconic species, a new report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), released July 8, 2021, has said.

Analysis:

• The report, titled, A future for all – the need for human-wildlife coexistence, features contributions from 155 experts from 40 organisations based in 27 countries.
• It highlights that globally, conflict-related killing affects more than 75 per cent of the world’s wild cat species.
• Besides, many other terrestrial and marine carnivore species such as polar bears and Mediterranean monk seals as well as large herbivores such as elephants are affected.
• In India, data from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change indicates that over 500 elephants were killed between 2014-2015 and 2018-2019, mostly due to human-elephant conflict.
• During the same period, 2,361 people were killed as a result of conflict with elephants.
• Global wildlife populations have fallen an average of 68 per cent since 1970.
• India’s elephants probably embody the problem the best,” the report said. The animals are restricted to just 3-4 per cent of their original habitat. Their remaining range is plagued by deforestation, invasive species and climate change.
• The animals are thus pushed to find food outside of protected areas where they clash with humans. This, in turn, causes the deaths of humans as well as loss of livelihoods for their families.

THE SONITPUR MODEL

• The report gave the example of Sonitpur district in Assam. Here, destruction of forests had forced elephants to raid crops, in turn causing deaths of both, elephants and humans.
• In response, WWF India had developed the ‘Sonitpur Model’ during 2003-2004 by which community members were connected with the state forest department.
• They were given training on how to work with them to drive elephants away from crop fields safely.
• WWF India had also developed a low-cost, single strand, non-lethal electric fence to ease the guarding of crops from elephants.
• The project had brought dividends. For instance, in the Gohpur area of Biswanath district, some 212 hectares of crops were being lost annually to elephants before these interventions in 2015.
• Afterwards, crop losses dropped to zero for four years running. Human and elephant deaths also reduced significantly.

ABOUT WWF

• WWF stands for World Wide Fund for Nature.
• It was originally known as the World Wildlife Fund, but in 1986 it was changed to highlight the full scope of its work.
• WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
• To do this, WWF works with a broad spectrum of partners including governments, industry, and local communities to find solutions to the challenges that face our natural world.

THE CONTEXT: The Centre has decided to allow state-run market yards to access financing facilities through its Agricultural Infrastructure Fund to calm the fears of protesting farmers that such market yards are being weakened.

Analysis

• The Union Cabinet decided to extend the Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to State agencies and Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), as well as federations of cooperative organisations, Farmers Producers Organizations and self-help groups,
• They will now be eligible for interest subvention for loans up to ₹2 crore, with APMCs allowed to access separate loans for different kinds of infrastructure projects to build cold storage, silos, sorting, grading and assaying units in their market yards.
• The period of the financial facility has been extended by two additional years up to 2025-26, while the overall period of the scheme has been extended to 2032-33.
• The modifications in the Scheme will help to achieve a multiplier effect in generating investments while ensuring that the benefits reach small and marginal farmers.

ABOUT AGRI INFRA FUND

• It is a Central Sector Scheme meant for setting up storage and processing facilities, which will help farmers, get higher prices for their crops.
• It will support farmers, PACS, FPOs, Agri-entrepreneurs, etc. in building community farming assets and post-harvest agriculture infrastructure.
• These assets will enable farmers to get greater value for their produce as they will be able to store and sell at higher prices, reduce wastage and increase processing and value addition.
• The AIF is a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee.
• Under the scheme, Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans with interest subvention of 3% per annum.
• It will provide credit guarantee coverage under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) for loans up to Rs. 2 Crore.

ABOUT APMC

• Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) is the marketing boards established by the state governments in order to eliminate the exploitation incidences of the farmers by the intermediaries, where they are forced to sell their produce at extremely low prices.
• Under the APMC Act, the states can establish agricultural markets, popularly known as mandis.
• The sale of agricultural commodities can occur only in the mandis through auction.
• The sales process in mandis is regulated through commission agents (CAs) who mediate between the farmers and traders.

THE CONTEXT: The West Bengal Assembly has passed a resolution supporting an Ad-hoc committee report that favoured the creation of a legislative council.

Analysis

• The resolution – ‘Consideration of report of the ad-hoc committee to examine the recommendation for creation of a Legislative council’ — was moved by state parliamentary affairs minister under Rule 169 of the Procedures of Conduct of Business of the House.
• Voting was duly held, with 196 of the 265 members present in the House supporting the creation of the council and 69 opposing it.
• The BJP legislative party, while opposing the resolution, said the TMC wants to pursue “backdoor politics” to help party leaders get elected as lawmakers despite having lost the assembly polls.
• The party also argued that the move would put pressure on state exchequer.

ABOUT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

• India follows a bicameral system at both the centre and state level.
• Under this system, the state’s legislature is divided into two parts – Legislative Assembly or Vidhan Sabha and Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad.
• Members of the Legislative Assembly are directly elected by the people through assembly elections. Vidhan Parishad or Legislative Council is a permanent body, which can be formed or abolished when the Legislative Assembly passes a special resolution.
• In other words, the Legislative Council is the upper house of the state.
• Its institution is outlined in Article 169 of the Constitution of India. A member of a legislative council is referred to as an MLC.
• The Constitution of India does not mandate states to form a Legislative Council.
• As of now, six out of 28 states have a legislative council.
• The states with bicameral legislature include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.
• These states have both the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly.
• The term of the Legislative Assembly is five years unless it is dissolved earlier on the request of the chief minister.
• The tenure of the members of the council is six years, and a third of the members of the House retire after every two years.

How is the Legislative Council created?

• The members of the Council are either nominated by the Governor of the state or are indirectly elected.
• One-third of the members of this House are elected by the Legislative Assembly.
• One-third are elected by the local bodies like a municipality or other local authorities.
• One-twelfth of the members are elected by graduates.
• One-twelfth of the members are elected by teachers.
• About one-sixth of the members are nominated by the Governor.
• The legislative Council elects its Chairman, who plays the role of presiding officer and Deputy Chairman from amongst its members.
• Indian citizen who is at least 30 years of age; a person cannot simultaneously be a Member of Parliament and State legislature.

What is the role of the Legislative Council?

• The Constitution of India gives limited power to the Legislative Council.
• It cannot make or break a government. It cannot say ‘no’ to Finance Bills.
• However, there are some perks: The Council has its Chairman and Deputy Chairman who enjoy the status of Cabinet Ministers in the state.
• It is considered important for two reasons:
• a) It can ensure individuals who might not be cut out for the elections are able to contribute to the legislative process (like artists, scientists, etc).
• b) It can keep an eye on hasty decisions taken by the Legislative Assembly.

• While Legislative Council is a permanent House like the Rajya Sabha, it can be dissolved.
• Under Article 169 of the Indian constitution, Parliament may create or abolish the Council in a state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect by a special majority.
• Parliament abolished the Vidhan Parishad in Andhra Pradesh in 1985, but in March 2007, it was reinstated.