Additional Information

What is the history of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules?

• Tribal populations were never fully subjugated by earlier Muslim rulers before the British. They did not intervene in tribal customary laws or their lifestyles. Till the entry of the British, the tribals were the masters of their forests and ancestral lands. However, the initial British laws and their forest policies affected the tribal way of life. Their traditional rights over forest lands were not recognised and their movement inside forests became restricted. This discontentment resulted in various tribal rebellions like the Kol rebellion (1831-32), Santhal revolt (1855-56), Munda Rebellion (1899-1900) and Bastar rebellion (1911).
• These rebellions culminated in the British policy of ‘isolation’ towards the tribals, and the creation of ‘excluded’ and ‘partially excluded’ areas under the Government of India Act, 1935. 
  • The ‘excluded’ areas mainly consisted of hilly regions in the northeast. 

In these areas, the power of legislation was in the hands of the Governor.

•  ‘Partially excluded’ areas consisted of tribal tracts in present day Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In these areas, central and provincial legislature laws were applicable but with modifications or exceptions as decided by the Governors.

• The Fifth and Sixth Schedules have been modelled on the basis of these provisions which allowed ‘partially excluded’ and ‘excluded’ areas under the Government of India Act, 1935.

•  10 States namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana have Fifth Schedule Areas.

• The Arun River basin spreads across Nepal and Tibet only.

Additional Information

• According to a new study, Mount Everest, which stands at 8,849 metres, has grown around 15 to 50 metres higher than expected during the last 89,000 years due to a nearby river eroding rock and soil at its base, causing it to rise.
• The loss of landmass in the Arun River basin, which spans Nepal and Tibet and is 75 kilometres from Everest, is causing the world’s highest mountain to increase by up to 2 millimetres every year, according to the study.
• While Everest and the rest of the Himalayas have been gently rising for around 50 million years as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, changes in the Arun river network are adding to the mountains’ ongoing elevation.
• Everest has been getting an additional boost in height due to a geological process known as isostatic rebound. It refers to the rise of land masses on the Earth’s crust as the weight of the surface decreases.

Additional Information

• Parole may be denied to a prisoner even when he makes out a sufficient case, if the competent authority is satisfied that releasing the convict would not be in the interest of society.

Furlough

• It is similar to parole, but with some significant differences. It is given in cases of long-term imprisonment.
• The period of furlough granted to a prisoner is treated as remission of his sentence.
• Unlike parole, furlough is seen as a matter of right for a prisoner, to be granted periodically irrespective of any reason, and merely to enable the prisoner to retain family and social ties, and to counter the ill-effects of prolonged time spent in prison.

• Both parole and furlough are considered as reformative processes. These provisions were introduced with a view to humanizing the prison system.
• Parole and furlough are covered under the Prisons Act of 1894.

Additional Information

• • Elephant is the Natural Heritage Animal of India.
  • Elephants are considered a “Keystone Species” as they play a critical role in maintaining the balance and health of forest ecosystems.
    • They are known for their exceptional intelligence, boasting the largest brain size of any land animal.
  • India has the largest number of wild Asian Elephants, estimated at 29,964 according to the 2017 census by Project Elephant.
    • It is about 60% of the species’ global population.
  • Karnataka has the highest number of elephants, followed by Assam and Kerala.
  • The gestation period of the breeding pair is nearly 22 months which yields a single baby. During birth, females of the herd surround the mother for her protection.
  • The average life expectancy of an elephant is 70 years and at the age of 18 years, its adulthood starts. 
• Conservation Status:

• • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species:
    • African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta Cyclotis)- Critically Endangered
    • African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta Africana)- Endangered
    • Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)- Endangered
  • Convention of the Migratory species (CMS):
    • African Forest Elephant: Appendix II
    • Asian Elephant: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):
    • African Savanna Elephant: Appendix II
    • Asian Elephant: Appendix I
•  Also known as “ecosystem engineers,” elephants shape their habitat in many ways. During the dry season, they use their tusks to dig up dry riverbeds and create watering holes many animals can drink from.
• World Elephant Day, observed globally on August 12, is a dedicated observance aimed at raising awareness about the critical challenges confronting elephants and advocating for their protection and conservation.

Additional Information

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi(2nd OCtober,2024), from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
• The scheme has a total outlay of Rs.79,156 crores (Central Share: Rs.56,333 crore and State Share: Rs. 22,823 crore).
• The Mission comprises of 25 interventions which will be implemented by 17-line ministries.
  •  Each Ministry/Department would be responsible for implementation of scheme related to it in a time bound manner through funds allocated to them under Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) in next 5 years to achieve following goals:

Goal-I:  Developing Enabling Infrastructure:

(i) Pucca house for eligible Households with other entitlements: Eligible ST household shall have access to pucca housing under the PMAY (Gramin) with availability of tapped water (Jal Jeevan Mission) and electricity supply (RDSS). Eligible ST household shall also have access to Ayushman Bharat Card (PMJAY).

(ii)   Improving Village infrastructure: Ensuring all weather road connectivity to ST majority villages (PMGSY), provide access to mobile connectivity  (Bharat Net) and internet, infrastructure for improving health, nutrition, and education (NHM, Samagra Shiksha and Poshan).

Goal-2: Promotion of Economic Empowerment:

(iii)  Skill Development Entrepreneurship promotion and enhanced livelihood(self-employment) – Providing access to training (Skill India Mission/ JSS) and ensuring that ST boys/girls get access to long-term skill courses after 10th/12th standard every year. Further, Marketing support through Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centre (TMMC), Tourist Home Stays and Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fishery support for FRA Patta holders

Goal-3:  Universalization of Access to Good Education:

(iv)  Education – To increase GER to the national levels in school and higher education and to make quality education affordable and accessible to ST students (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) by setting up tribal hostels in schools at district/block level.

Goal-4:  Healthy lives and Dignified Ageing:

(v)   Health – To ensure enhanced access to quality health facilities to ST households, reach towards the national standards in IMR, MMR and coverage of immunisation through Mobile Medical Units in areas where sub centre is more than 10 km in plain areas and 5 kms in Hilly areas (National Health Mission).

The tribal villages covered under the Abhiyan would be mapped on PM Gati Shakti Portal with the gaps identified by concerned department for its scheme specific requirements. The physical and financial progress will be monitored PM Gati Shakti platform and the best performing districts will be awarded.