SSC Selection Post 2025 PYQ — Question 3

Correct Answer

Wetland ecosystem protection

Explanation

The primary objective of the ‘Amrit Dharohar’ scheme is wetland ecosystem protection through sustainable management and conservation. Officially announced by the Union Finance Minister during the Union Budget 2023–24 and launched in June 2023, the scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The scheme focuses specifically on the conservation and optimal utilization of Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance) in India. Implemented over a period of three years, its key goals include enhancing biological diversity, increasing carbon stocks, mitigating climate impacts, and transforming high-volume tourism into sustainable nature tourism. It functions with active community participation, ensuring that ecological protection simultaneously generates sustainable livelihoods and alternative income opportunities for local communities living near these fragile water bodies.

Key Points

Often referred to as the "kidneys of the landscape," wetlands play a vital role in natural water filtration, flood mitigation, and nutrient cycling. The Amrit Dharohar scheme operates across four core pillars: Species and Habitat Conservation, Nature Tourism, Wetlands Livelihoods, and Wetlands Carbon Assessment. It works in active synergy with other green initiatives like the MISHTI scheme (focused on coastal mangrove plantations) and the broader Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement.

Important Questions and Answers

Question: Which international environmental treaty, signed in 1971 in Iran, governs the global framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands targeted by the Amrit Dharohar scheme?

Answer: The Ramsar Convention.

Question: What nickname is ecologically given to wetlands due to their crucial role in filtering pollutants and purifying natural water systems?

Answer: Kidneys of the landscape (or Earth's kidneys).