Balancing Development & Conservation

 

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project and India’s developmental aspirations while addressing critical environmental concerns. The content is tailored for competitive exam preparation, highlighting essential facts and concepts.

Introduction

  • The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project is India’s first major river-interlinking initiative among 16 proposed projects.
    • Ceremonially inaugurated recently after 29 years of conception.
    • Sparks debate between development and environmental conservation.
  • This project serves as a lens to understand the challenges of balancing economic progress with preserving ecological integrity.

India’s Core Development Priorities

Infrastructure Development

  • World-class infrastructure aims to:
    • Enhance productivity.
    • Facilitate trade.
    • Attract investments.
  • Key initiatives:
    • National Infrastructure Pipeline: ₹111 lakh crore over 5 years.
    • Gati Shakti Plan: Integrates sectors and improves connectivity.
  • 2023-24 Capital Expenditure Allocation:
    • Raised to ₹10 lakh crore (3.3% of GDP).

Climate Change Mitigation and Renewable Energy

  • Transitioning to renewable energy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Green Hydrogen Mission: Budget of ₹19,700 crore.
  • India’s renewable energy capacity:
    • 201.45 GW (46.3% of total installed capacity).
  • Progress aligns with Paris Agreement Commitments.

Human Capital Development

  • Focus on education and healthcare for socio-economic transformation:
    • PM e-Vidya Scheme expanded digital education.
    • Ayushman Bharat covers 50 crore citizens under health insurance.
  • Literacy rate: 77.7%.
  • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): 28 per 1000 live births in 2020.

Digital Economy Expansion

  • UPI Transactions:
    • 172 billion in 2024, up 46% from 2023.
  • Jan Dhan Yojana:
    • 53 crore unbanked individuals brought into the system.

Employment and Rural Empowerment

  • PM Vishwakarma Yojana:
    • Budget of ₹13,000 crore to support artisans.
  • Rural Female Labour Force Participation:
    • Increased from 19.7% (2018-19) to 27.7% (2020-21).

Technological Innovation

  • Semicon India Program:
    • Budget of ₹76,000 crore to make India a global semiconductor hub.
  • AI Impact:
    • Expected to add $967 billion to the economy by 2035.

Social Justice and Gender Equality

  • Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023: 33% reservation in Parliament.
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Improved child sex ratios.

Defense Modernization

  • Make in India in defense manufacturing reduces import dependency.
  • Exports:
    • Defense equipment worth ₹16,000 crore in FY 2022-23.

Urban Development

  • Smart Cities Mission:
    • Completed 90% of projects in 100 cities by July 2024.

Agricultural Modernization

  • PM-KISAN Scheme:
    • Over ₹2 lakh crore in direct benefits provided to farmers.
  • Agri-exports:
    • Expected to cross $50 billion in 2024-25.

Key Environmental Concerns

Deforestation and Habitat Loss

  • Clearing forests for highways and urban projects disrupts ecosystems.
  • Example: Hasdeo Aranya Forest (Chhattisgarh).
  • FAO Report:
    • India’s deforestation rate: 668 kha/year (2015-2020).

Air Pollution

  • India has 39 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities (2023 IQAir Report).
  • Cities like Delhi consistently exceed WHO PM2.5 standards.

Water Stress

  • Over 70% of irrigated agriculture depends on groundwater.
  • NITI Aayog Report:
    • 600 million Indians face extreme water stress.

Land Degradation

  • 30% of India’s land affected.
  • Causes:
    • Unsustainable land use.
    • Exploitative agricultural practices.

Marine Pollution

  • India produces 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually.
  • Coastal erosion affects 33.6% of India’s coastline (NCCR Study).

Climate Change

  • India’s greenhouse gas emissions:
    • 6.1% surge in 2023.
  • Frequent extreme weather events:
    • 85 days of such events in 2023.

Urban Waste Management

  • India generates 62 million tonnes of waste annually.
  • Example: Ghazipur landfill fire (2023).

Loss of Wetlands

  • Nearly 40% of wetlands lost in the last 30 years (Wetlands International Study).

Strategies for Balancing Development and Conservation

Renewable Energy Transition

  • Expand offshore wind and decentralized solar energy.
  • Strengthen Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).

Sustainable Urbanization

  • Promote green infrastructure and energy-efficient buildings.
  • Integrate Smart Cities Mission with urban forestry and zero-waste policies.

Forest Conservation

  • Enforce compensatory afforestation and community-driven projects.
  • Use advanced satellite monitoring for forest cover.

Water Resource Management

  • Adopt rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation.
  • Develop ecologically sensitive river interlinking plans.

Circular Economy

  • Encourage closed-loop production systems.
  • Policies for waste segregation and composting.

Marine Protection

  • Implement coastal regulation zones.
  • Promote eco-tourism in fragile marine ecosystems.

Behavioral Change

  • Public campaigns for energy conservation and waste reduction.
  • Eco-literacy programs in schools.

Conclusion

India’s development aspirations, exemplified by the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, underscore the need for sustainable strategies that preserve ecological integrity. Aligning growth with SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 11, and SDG 13 will ensure a balanced approach to progress and environmental sustainability.

 

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