Experts, govt. officials call for urgent need for ecosystem restoration in West Bengal
Emphasising the urgent need for large-scale ecosystem restoration in the face of escalating climate uncertainties, Prabhat Kumar Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), West Bengal government, underscored the significance of the State's 'Nodi Bandhan' initiative in reconnecting rivers and wetlands to mitigate flood risks.
'Restoration of ecosystem is complex since there are multiple linkages which are not always visible. Hence there is need for strong partnership with academia to ensure that the solution is technically correct,' Mr. Mishra said, while participating in a discussion on 'Investing in Nature for Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Conservation'. The West Bengal government, in its Budget 2025-26, allocated ₹200 crore for the Nodi Bandhan scheme, aimed at arresting river erosion using hydrological models.
The Additional Chief Secretary further noted that ecosystem restoration cannot be attempted in isolation, and emphasised the need to involve local communities in the process. Speaking at the forum jointly hosted by Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS) and Centre for Responsible Business, Mr. Mishra highlighted the challenges posed by rising salinity levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of cyclones in the Sundarbans, which are adversely impacting local communities.
He also observed that corporate investment in ecosystem restoration across the State has been increasing, and reiterated the government's intent to engage more intensively with the private sector to promote nature-based solutions.
Amit Mitra, Principal Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister and Finance Department and former Finance Minister of the State, spoke on the growing importance of sustainability and multi-sectoral partnerships to mitigate climate risks and prevent biodiversity loss. Dr. Mitra urged corporates to work closely with civil society and government to scale effective initiatives, preserve biodiversity, and contribute to a sustainable future. Speaking as the chief guest, he said the West Bengal government had partnered with the World Bank to excavate 700 silted creeks in the Sundarbans.
Ajanta Dey, Joint Secretary and Programme Director, NEWS, stressed that while there was a time when humanity altered nature, the present moment demanded a return to nature. She noted that this effort required a multi-disciplinary approach. 'Multi-stakeholder partnerships are the need of the hour to address biodiversity loss, and shape a sustainable future,' she added.
A discussion paper titled Role of Businesses in Biodiversity Conservation in India was also launched at the forum. The deliberations focused on a range of themes including investing in nature for climate resilience and biodiversity conservation, financing ecosystem restoration, and the role of businesses in conservation efforts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
9 hours ago
- India Today
What is Yogi Adityanath's Gorakhpur model of growth?
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 23, 2025) Once dismissed as the 'badlands' of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Gorakhpur, the home district of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is now seeing an industrial transformation, with many high-profile infrastructure projects coming to the region. The Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) has played no small part in this. CEO Anuj Malik says Rs 12,500 crore has come just in the past three years. 'Proactive policy support, subsidies and easy availability of land are the key drivers in eastern UP,' she says. GIDA says it has 3,500 acres in its land bank, with 250 acres ready for immediate allocation. Indian Glycols Ltd, Gallant Ispat Ltd, Ankur Udyog, Varun Beverages, Keyan Industries... the list of big-ticket companies that have set up shop here is long. Altogether, 1,167 industrial units, currently operational under GIDA, have generated employment for some 42,000 people. Akeel Khan is one of the lucky ones, working with Keyan Distillery, which has invested over Rs 1,200 crore and employs over a thousand people. 'Earlier, there were no jobs here, which is why I had to leave Gorakhpur and UP in search of work. Now, nearly every family in my village has someone working at one of the industries,' says Khan. The Keyan distillery, which began ethanol production earlier this year, was one of the first large units to start operations. And, according to Ankur Gangwar, AGM (project and maintenance), the company is already planning an additional unit. 'We had the bhoomi puja in August 2023, and with the raw material availability, uninterrupted electricity and connectivity, things moved faster than expected,' says Gangwar. EVOLVING LANDSCAPE The pace at which Gorakhpur's industrial landscape has evolved reflects in the numbers. Anupam Mishra, officer on special duty at GIDA, says the region's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has more than doubled, from Rs 22,000 crore in 2017 to around Rs 47,000 crore now. Especially heartening is the fact that 20-30 per cent of the skilled workforce now comes from within the region. Malik says the presence of institutions like the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, which has trained more than 700 students, has helped. 'We did a skill gap analysis and are now aligning training programmes with industry demands,' she says. Next up is a 5,500-acre industrial zone in Dhuriyapar, among the region's most underdeveloped areas, where land is being acquired across 17 villages. Industries such as Adani Cements have already shown interest, helped by the new rail links and its location near the Purvanchal Expressway. Indeed, both Mishra and Malik stress Gorakhpur's logistical advantages. 'We sit at a geographic crossroads, connecting eastern India, Bihar, Nepal and the rest of UP. This benefits local industries and positions Gorakhpur as an alternative to more saturated hubs,' points out Mishra. GIDA is also working to attract sector-specific investments. 'We are developing UP's first plastic park, with space for 90 industrial units. Over 70 units have been allotted,' says Malik. Beyond the industrial infrastructure, Gorakhpur's urban transformation is also playing a role. With two five-star hotels already functional and two more under construction, the hospitality industry is expanding. State-backed infrastructure and urban projects are also reshaping the city. In FY25, CM Adityanath laid the foundation for projects worth over Rs 3,500 crore, including the Rapti Nagar Expansion Township and Sports City, and the 'new Gorakhpur city'. Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Mint
16 hours ago
- Mint
Indian stock market: Sensex, Nifty 50 fall 1% for the week; can the correction continue?
Indian stock market benchmarks fell over a per cent last week, dragged by escalating tensions in the Middle East, tariff-related uncertainty and foreign capital outflow. The Nifty 50 fell 1.14 per cent, while the Sensex suffered a loss of 1.30 per cent for the week ended June 13. The BSE Midcap index declined 0.90 per cent, while the BSE Smallcap slipped 0.13 per cent. The Nifty Bank index fell 1.9 per cent last week. In the Nifty index, stocks such as Eternal, Adani Ports, Titan Company, Power Grid, Tata Steel, Tata Consumer, Mahindra and Mahindra, Trent, HDFC Bank, Shriram Finance, ICICI Bank and Hindustan Unilever fell 3-5 per cent during the week. "Markets remained under pressure and declined by over a per cent during the week, weighed down by rising geopolitical tensions and mixed global cues. After starting the week on a subdued note, indices gradually drifted lower amid increased volatility and finally settled near the week's low," Ajit Mishra, SVP of research at Religare Broking, observed. Heightened geopolitical tensions may keep the market volatile next week. The upcoming US Federal Reserve policy decision, the progress of the monsoon, and macro prints will also influence market sentiment. "Looking ahead, markets are likely to remain volatile amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and crucial central bank meetings. The US Federal Reserve's upcoming policy decision will be closely tracked, as market participants look for clarity on the timing and magnitude of potential rate cuts, especially in light of mixed economic signals. Domestically, the focus will remain on the progress of the monsoon, crude oil price trends, WPI inflation data, and FII activity," said Mishra. On the technical front, the Nifty 50 has fallen below 25,000, exhibiting weakness on the technical charts. According to Amol Athawale, VP of technical research at Kotak Securities, on weekly charts, Nifty formed a long bearish candle and is currently trading below the 20-day SMA (simple moving average), which is largely negative. Athawale believes that as long as the market remains below the 20-day SMA or 24,850, weak sentiment will likely continue. "On the downside, the market could retest the level of 24,500, a breach of which could accelerate selling pressure, potentially dragging the index to the 50-day SMA around 24,300. On the upside, a break above 24,750 could extend the pullback move up to 24,850, even further pushing the index toward 24,950–25,000," said Athawale. For Bank Nifty, Athawale sees a key support zone between 55,000 and 55,200. Above this range, Bank Nifty could bounce back toward 56,100–56,300. Conversely, a fall below 55,000 increases the likelihood of testing the 50-day SMA or 54,500, said Athawale. Mishra pointed out that the Nifty 50 has re-entered its consolidation range, and a decisive move beyond the 24,400–25,200 zone will be required to establish the next directional trend. Mishra said that in case of a breakdown, the 24,000 level is expected to act as crucial support, whereas a breakout above 25,200 could trigger a sustained rally toward the 25,600 mark. Nifty Bank has failed to hold its breakout above the 56,000 mark and is now expected to find support in the 54,000–54,600 range. A decisive move above 56,500 will be essential to revive momentum in the financial space, Mishra said. Read all market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly, and circumstances may vary.
The Hindu
21 hours ago
- The Hindu
RSS's farmers body criticises NITI Aayog for its suggestion of lowering tariffs on agriculture imports
New Delhi The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Saturday (June 14, 2025)condemned the NITI Aayog's recommendation under the proposed Indo-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in which the think tank has suggested that India should lower tariffs on the import of agricultural produce such as genetically modified crops (soybean and corn) from the U.S. In a recent paper, NITI Aayog had also suggested negating tariffs on the poultry and dairy sectors. Currently, GM food crops are under judicial scrutiny in India and, hence, banned at present. Terming the recommendations as a risky step for 70 crore Indians dependent on agriculture, the All India General Secretary of BKS, Mohini Mohan Mishra, asked why NITI Aayog was trying to get involved in the tariff battle with America at a time when the Union government is looking at self-reliance in the production of oilseeds. '.... reducing the import duty of edible oil is a contradictory decision in itself,' said Mr. Mishra. He added that the NITI Aayog should reconsider their recommendations and prepare to move forward on the basis of the self-reliance policy of the government. Questioning the report's suggestions in favour of import of GM soy and maize, Mr. Mishra said that it is well-known that in America the crops are used as fodder for livestock. 'If the government's policy supports us in pulses and oilseeds, then the farmers of the country are ready to make India self-reliant. In such a situation, it is not good for India if the think tank bows down to someone's pressure. If the NITI Aayog does not trust the capability of the country, then the government must seriously reflect on the working of the organisation,' added the BKS general secretary.
