Context: Recently, an Alternative Livelihood Programme under the Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme-2023 has been launched in Sultanpur National Park.
Sultanpur National Park
- Sultanpur National Park is a Ramsar Site in Haryana.
- With the help of the State Forest Deptt., a total of 30 participants have been identified from the local communities located around Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary to impart this training and subsequently certify them as nature-guides.
About the Amrit Dharohar Scheme
- Amrit Dharohar Scheme Launched By: The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- Aim of Amrit Dharohar Scheme: Under this initiative, the Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM), will build the capacity of local community members around different Ramsar sites.
- Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM), is an autonomous body under MoT
- Significance of Amrit Dharohar Scheme: It will strengthen nature tourism at these sites and provide alternative livelihood to the local community.
- Five Priority Sites: Sites identified in the first phase by MoT and MoEFCC for taking up training programmes for local communities under the Alternative Livelihood Programme (ALP) are:
- Sultanpur (in Haryana)
- Bhitarkanika and Chilika (in Odisha)
- Yashwant Sagar and Sirpur (in Madhya Pradesh)
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About Amrit Dharohar
- Vision: To promote unique conservation values of the Ramsar Sites in the country while generating employment opportunities and supporting local livelihoods.
About the Nature-tourism and Wetcomponent:
- Implementation: The Nature-tourism and Wetcomponent of Amrit Dharohar initiative is being implemented jointly by MoT and MoEFCC.
- Aim: To enhance livelihood opportunities for local communities through harnessing the nature-tourism potential of the Ramsar Sites across the country.
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- It was announced as part of the 2023-24 budget by MoEF&CC during June 2023.
- Emphasis On: It will emphasize on the importance of wetlands and their preservation, with an outlook that is inclusive of local communities as caretakers of the ecosystem.
- Implementation By: In convergence with various Central Government ministries and agencies, State Wetland Authorities, and a network of formal and informal institutions and individuals, working together for a common cause.
- Significance: A scheme that will be implemented over the next three years to encourage optimal use of wetlands, and enhance biodiversity, carbon stock, eco-tourism opportunities, and income generation for local communities.
Ramsar Sites
- For Wetlands: These are wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the criteria of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971) for containing representative, rare, or unique wetland types or for their importance in conserving biological diversity.
- Ramsar Convention is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran where it was signed on 2 February 1971.
List Of Total Ramsar Sites In India 2023 here.
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Wetlands
- Definition: As per the Ramsar Convention: Wetlands are “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters.”
News Source: PIB
December 9, 2023