Focus: Government policies and Interventions
Why in News
MISHTI scheme promotes development of 540 Sq. Kms Mangroves across 11 States and 2 Union Territories.
MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes)
- MISHTI is a new programme that will facilitate mangrove plantation along India’s coastline and on salt pan lands.
- The programme will operate through “convergence between MGNREGS, Campa Fund and other sources.
- This new programme will aim at intensive afforestation of coastal mangrove forests.
- India has such forests on both its Eastern and Western coasts with the Sundarbans in Bengal being one of the largest mangrove forests on the planet.
Importance of Mangroves
- Mangroves are not just some of the most bio-diverse locations in India, they also protect the coastlines from the vagaries of inclement weather.
- As climate change increases the incidence of extreme weather events across the world, mangrove plantations have shown to make coastal lands resilient, preventing flooding, land erosion and acting as a buffer for cyclones.
- Furthermore, they are also excellent carbon sinks. Mangrove trees can grow in saline waters, and can sequester up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests.
