Syllabus :GS 3/Conservation
In News
- The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has granted tax exemption to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) by notifying it as an authority under clause 46A of Section 10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
About Section 10 of the Income Tax Act
- Section 10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, lays out different types of income that can be exempt from taxes, with the goal of easing the financial load on certain entities.
- The Clause (46A) in this section grants tax exemptions to statutory bodies or authorities that are set up under Central or State Acts, as long as they are working for public purposes.
- This rule helps these authorities make better use of their funds by relieving them of income tax obligations, which in turn encourages them to achieve their goals without being held back by financial issues.
| Do you know? – The Ganga River basin is the largest in India, encompassing 27% of the country’s land mass and supporting about 47% of its population. 1. It is a trans-boundary river forming the world’s largest delta, Sunderbans, spread across India and Bangladesh. – Spanning over 11 states, the basin covers nearly 27% of India’s total geographical area. – The majority of the basin, around 65.57%, is used for agriculture, while water bodies cover 3.47% of the area. – Despite receiving 35.5% of the total water input in terms of precipitation, the Ganga River Basin is the second most water-stressed basin in India, following the Sabarmati Basin, with only 39% of the average per capita annual rainwater input among major Indian river basins. |
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
- It was established as a society in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and initially served as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
- After NGRBA was dissolved on 7th October 2016, the National Ganga Council was formed to oversee the rejuvenation and protection of the Ganga River.
- The key framework for the Ganga rejuvenation includes a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to combat pollution and ensure adequate water flow.
- The structure consists of the National Ganga Council chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
- Empowered Task Force (ETF) chaired by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti.
- National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
- State Ganga Committees.
- District Ganga Committees in regions along the Ganga and its tributaries.
- NMCG has a two-tier management structure, consisting of a Governing Council and an Executive Committee, both headed by the Director General (DG) of NMCG. The Executive Committee can approve projects up to ₹1000 crore.
Related Steps
- ‘Namami Gange Programme’, is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
- Main pillars :
Source :IE
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