Land Resources — Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs Connections
Government Expands Scope of PM-KISAN Scheme, Impacts Land Use Decisions
2024-08-15The ongoing expansion and refinement of the PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) scheme, which provides direct income support to farmer families, continues to influence agricultural land use patterns. While primarily a financial aid, the scheme's eligibility criteria, often linked to land ownership records, indirectly incentivize formal land titling and can influence cropping patterns as farmers gain financial stability. Recent discussions include linking PM-KISAN benefits to sustainable farming practices or soil health card compliance, which could drive a shift towards more environmentally friendly land management. From a UPSC angle, this highlights the interplay between welfare schemes, land records modernization, and agricultural sustainability.
UPSC Angle: Impact of direct benefit transfers on agricultural land use, land record digitization, and potential for incentivizing sustainable farming practices. Connects to GS-III Economy and Agriculture.
New Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiatives in Drought-Prone Regions
2025-03-10In response to increasing climate variability, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in collaboration with ICAR, has rolled out new guidelines for implementing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices in drought-prone and semi-arid regions. These initiatives focus on promoting drought-resistant crop varieties, efficient water resources management techniques like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, and soil conservation measures such as mulching and agroforestry. Pilot projects are underway in states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, demonstrating how targeted land management interventions can build resilience against climate change impacts on land resources and ensure food security. This reflects a proactive approach to sustainable land management.
UPSC Angle: Policy initiatives for climate change adaptation in agriculture, sustainable land management techniques, and their role in mitigating land degradation and ensuring food security. Connects to GS-III Environment and Agriculture.
Debate Intensifies Over Land Acquisition for Green Energy Corridors
2026-01-20The push for renewable energy infrastructure, particularly large-scale solar parks and wind farms, has intensified debates around land acquisition. Recent reports highlight challenges in acquiring vast tracts of land for 'Green Energy Corridors' in states like Gujarat and Karnataka, leading to concerns from local communities regarding fair compensation, displacement, and environmental impact. The application of the LARR Act, 2013, and its provisions for Social Impact Assessment and consent clauses are under scrutiny. This scenario underscores the complex balance between national development goals (renewable energy potential [VY:ENV-05-07]) and the protection of land rights and livelihoods, a recurring theme in land resource governance.
UPSC Angle: Challenges of land acquisition for infrastructure development, balancing economic growth with social equity and environmental protection, and the practical implementation of the LARR Act, 2013. Connects to GS-III Economy, Infrastructure, and Environment.