Current Affairs – June 06, 2025

{{GS2 – IR – Groupings} International Institute of Administrative Sciences

• Context (PIB): India has been elected to the Presidency of International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) for the 2025–2028 term, marking its first-ever presidency in the institute’s 100-year history.
• The presidency reflects global recognition of India’s governance reforms and aligns with the “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government” agenda of the government.

• IIAS is a global body for research and reform in public administration.
• Established in 1930; Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
• Member States: 31 (including India), 20 National Sections, 15 Academic Research Centres.
  • India has been a member since 1998, represented by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• Objectives:
  • Promote collaboration on key public administration challenges.
  • Accredit academic and professional governance training programs.
  • Disseminate research and best practices in governance globally.
  • Engage with UN CEPA (Committee of Experts on Public Administration) and UNPAN (UN Public Administration Network).

The IIAS is not formally part of the UN system but actively collaborates with UN bodies by sharing research, participating in governance dialogues, and supporting institutional reforms aligned with global best practices.

{GS2 – MoAFW – Schemes} Clean Plant Programme (CPP)

• Context (HT): Government launched Clean Plant Programme for grapes, oranges & pomegranates.

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare working in collaboration with National Horticulture Board (NHB), and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Launched under: Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
• Objective: Ensure disease-free, certified, high-quality planting material for horticultural crops and enhance productivity, quality, and export potential of horticulture produce.
• Centre would collaborate with Israel and Netherlands for technological support & innovation.
• Core Components of CPP:

1. Establishment of Nine Clean Plant Centres (CPCs) to provide virus diagnostics, treatment, & quarantine all domestic and imported planting materials.
2. Development of large-scale & medium-sized nurseries to multiply & distribute clean planting material.
3. Regulatory and certification framework under Seeds Act 1966 to ensure accountability & traceability.

• Significance: Better yield & income gains for farmers; Improved global competitiveness through quality assurance.

Also Read > Clean Plant Programme: Transforming India’s Horticulture Sector, India’s Horticulture Sector

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Federalism} Niti Aayog and a deepening federalism

• Context (IE): The transformation from the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog in 2015 marked a paradigm shift from a top-down approach to a collaborative partnership.

What is Federalism?

• Federalism is a system of government in which power is shared between a central authority and various constituent units of the country.
• The term ‘Federalism’ is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.

Types of Federalism

• Cooperative federalism: In it, horizontal relationship is seen between the centre and the state. Here, union government is expected to play a role of elder brother.
  • E.g. Regional councils like NITI Forum for North East, NITI Aayog. Idea of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’.
• Competitive Federalism: It is a system where states and local governments compete for citizens and resources by offering different policies and services. Encourages innovation and efficiency.
  • E.g. NITI Aayog’s various rankings (e.g. Aspirational Districts Program).
• Fiscal federalism: Advocates sharing of financial resources between centre and states.
  • E.g. States’ share of divisible taxes (41%).

How has NITI Aayog deepened Federalism in India?

• Strengthened Centre-State Collaboration: Acted as a bridge between centre and the states by encouraging states to take ownership of their development agendas.
• Driving competitive federalism: Its Indices have acted as a catalyst for competitive federalism, inspiring laggard states to improve their performance. E.g. Aspirational District and Blocks Programme, Atal Innovation Mission.
• Pushing for Fiscal flexibility: Recommending increased devolution of funds and flexibility in the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
• Capacity Building: Seeks to train local officials and create a robust tracking system to ensure centrally sponsored schemes are reached effectively to the intended beneficiaries.

Also Read > Asymmetric Federalism.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Education} RTE Quota’s Missed Promise on Inclusion

• Context (IE): Reservation for children from weaker socio-economic backgrounds under Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 failed to make school education inclusive.

• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, commonly known as the RTE Act, was a landmark step in India’s journey toward equitable and inclusive education.
• It made education a fundamental right for every child between the ages of 6 and 14, through the insertion of Article 21A in the Constitution.
• The Act places a legal obligation on the state to provide free and compulsory elementary education (Classes 1 to 8) to all children in this age group.

Reservation For Economically Weaker Sections Under RTE

• Section 12(1)(c) of RTE: Mandates private unaided schools to reserve 25% of their entry-level seats for children from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.
  • The state government is expected to reimburse schools for books, fees and uniforms.
• Objective: To enhance the quality of education received by underprivileged students and to reduce social barriers and foster social cohesion among students of different classes, castes and religions.
• With more than a decade since its implementation, the policy has failed to make school education truly inclusive.

Reasons

• ‘Cosmetic Implementation’: In many states, implementation of the quota remains symbolic. Enrolment under the reserved category is either stagnant or has declined.
• Poor Policy Design: The RTE quota did not adequately account for the motivations and interests of key stakeholders- government teachers, private school managements, and parents.
  • It assumed automatic compliance without building a support system or aligning incentives. Consequently, the policy has faced widespread resistance.
• Implementation Failure: Non-transparency in student selection for reserved seats, delays in government reimbursement to private schools and alleged harassment of private school management by education officers.
• Resistance from Government Teachers: Government teachers see RTE as a threat, fearing student migration to private schools will reduce enrolments, trigger closures, and prompt teacher transfers.
• Private School Pushback: Elite private schools with better teachers & high-quality infrastructure oppose the policy as the reimbursement rates are too low to meet their operational costs.
  • Furthermore, social bias among paying parents and school administrators leads to subtle and open discrimination, such as holding separate classes or imposing unofficial fees for quota students.
• Loophole in Act: Since minority-run schools are exempted from implementing reservation, private schools register as a religious or linguistic minority-run institution.
• Segregation within Inclusion: In states where budget private schools have adopted the quota (mainly for financial gains), provide education barely better than government schools, and often isolate or stigmatize RTE students.

Consequences of Policy Failure

• Limited Access to Quality Education: The children who most needed access to high-quality schools have remained excluded from them.
• Perpetuation of Social Divides: Instead of fostering inclusion, the system has reinforced existing class and caste barriers within the school environment.
• Public Distrust in State Capacity: Repeated failures in reimbursement, monitoring, and grievance redressal have eroded faith in the government’s ability to implement social justice measures effectively.

Way Forward

• Redesign policy to align with economic & administrative realities using realistic reimbursement models. Documentation process can be linked to Public Finance Management System to avoid delays.
• Engage stakeholders like teachers & private schools, in co-creating inclusive education frameworks.
• Strengthen monitoring: Regular inspections of private schools to ensure compliance with RTE norms for quality education.
• Reimagine Inclusion Beyond Access through classroom integration, peer interaction & equal treatment.

{GS3 – Agri – Institutions} International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

• Context (IE): ICRISAT and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) launched the ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA).

• ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political international research institute focused on advancing agriculture in the dryland tropics of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, impacting over 2 billion people.
• It was established in 1972 through an agreement between the Government of India and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
• Recognized as an “International Organisation” by India under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.
• Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana with regional hubs in Nairobi, Kenya and Bamako, Mali.
• Vision: Prosperous, food-secure, and climate-resilient dryland regions.
• Mandate: Develop climate-resilient, nutrient-rich, drought-tolerant crops to address hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and land degradation.
• Conducts research on highly nutritious drought tolerant crops: Chickpea, pigeon pea, pearl millet, sorghum, groundnut, finger millet, small millets, and oilseeds.
• Key Focus Areas:
  • Promotes sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, natural resource management, and digital tools such as the MRIDA mobile app.
  • Strengthens livelihoods of smallholder farmers, with a focus on women and marginalized groups, through market access, capacity building, and credit.
  • Advances agricultural innovation aligned with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Major Achievements:
  • First to map the genome of cultivated groundnut.
  • Developed India’s first commercial pigeonpea hybrid.
  • Introduced Africa’s first biofortified pearl millet.
  • Received the 2021 Africa Food Prize for the Tropical Legumes Project (enhanced food security in 13 Sub-Saharan African countries).

Also Read > Smart Farming and Digitisation in Agriculture

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Aravalli Green Wall Project

• Context (IE): On occasion of World Environment Day, PM has launched the Aravalli Green Wall Project.

• The Aravalli Green Wall Project aims to weave a 1,500 km long, 5 km wide green belt, spanning 29 districts across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. It is inspired by Africa’s Green Wall.
• It was introduced at COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in Riyadh & launched in 2019.
• It is a centrally coordinated initiative with multi-stakeholder execution such as central and state governments, forest departments, research institutes, civil society organisations, private sector entities and local communities.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Duration: Phase I till 2027, with long-term landscape restoration planned.
• Objective:
  • Combat desertification and arrest the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert.
  • Create a green barrier against dust and pollution.
  • Restore biodiversity, improve groundwater recharge, and enhance climate resilience.
• Key Features:
  • Plantation of native trees and shrubs on degraded and wasteland areas.
  • Establishment of around 1,000 nurseries to support ongoing afforestation.
  • Removal of invasive species and restoration of surface water bodies like ponds and streams.
  • Development of wildlife corridors and eco-tourism infrastructure (safaris, trekking, nature parks).
  • Extension of the ongoing ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
• Supports India’s obligations under international environmental agreements UNCCD, CBD, and UNFCCC.
• Aligned with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) and is inspired by EU’s Nature Restoration Law (2024), which targets 30% ecosystem restoration by 2030.

About Aravalli Range The Aravallis, one of the oldest fold mountains of the world, now form residual mountains with an elevation of 300m to 900m. It runs in a south-westerly direction from Delhi to Gujarat. Guru Shikhar Peak on Mount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range (1,722 m). The terrain varies from rolling ridges to steep hillocks. It boasts 22 wildlife sanctuaries including four tiger reserves (Ranthambore is one) and bird parks. It is the source of important rivers, including the Chambal. It hosts the only primary forest in the National Capital Region, with tools from lower Palaeolithic period (3.3 million years to 300,000 years ago) and cave art being found in the hills around the forest.

Also Read,>CAMPA, NAPCC, Namami Gange Programme, Aravali Range

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Environmental Crisis in India

• Context (TH): Despite global commitments like the Paris Agreement (2015) & COP26/27/28, India continues to witness increasing carbon emissions, ecological degradation & environmental distress.

What are the main environmental crises?

• Triple Planetary Crisis: As per UNEP, world faces 3 interconnected environmental emergencies:

1. Climate Change: Driven by rising carbon emissions; leads to global warming, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and impacts on food and water security.
2. Biodiversity Loss: Caused by habitat destruction, overexploitation, invasive species, & pollution; weakens ecosystems’ ability to provide essential services like climate regulation, disease control, etc.
3. Pollution: Directly harms human health, marine & terrestrial ecosystems, and contributes to long-term ecological degradation.

State of Environmental Crises across the World & India

• Rising Carbon Emissions: Global CO₂ emissions rose from 34.1 billion tonnes (2015) to 37.4 billion tonnes (2024), a ~10% increase.
  • India is now the 3rd largest emitter globally after China & USA. India’s emissions rose from 2.33 billion tonnes (2015) to 3.12 billion tonnes (2025) (~34% growth).
• Biodiversity Degradation: As per India State of Forest Report 2023, natural forests declined by 1.5% despite overall forest cover showing marginal growth.
• Air Pollution: According to WHO, 14 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities (in terms of PM2.5 levels) are located in India.
• Water Pollution: As per CPCB, only 30% of urban sewage generated in India is treated, and the remaining 70% is directly discharged into rivers and water bodies.

Causes of Environmental Degradation

• Fossil Fuel Dependency: Coal, oil, and natural gas continue to dominate India’s energy and transportation sectors. As of 2024, coal alone accounts for ~70% of India’s electricity generation (CEA data).
• Deforestation & Land-Use Change: Ecologically sensitive areas like the Western Ghats & North-East India are facing intense deforestation. E.g. over 3,500 forest clearances granted between 2014–2023 with lack of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
• Agricultural Intensification: Expansion of high-input monocultures (e.g., paddy, wheat, sugarcane) driven by MSP and agri-business interests, with heavy use of chemical fertilisers damaging ecosystems.
• Waste Mismanagement & Urbanisation: India generates 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste/year, but only 20% is scientifically processed.
• Overconsumption & Global North Externalities: Global North’s consumption patterns are sustained by resource extraction and pollution in the Global South.

India: A “double victim” of Climate injustice & Biodiversity loss

• Low Per Capita Emissions, High Aggregate Growth: India’s per capita CO₂ emissions are ~1.9 tonnes/year (vs global average ~4.5 tonnes/year). However, it is the 3^rd largest emitter in absolute terms after China & USA.
• Disproportionate Impact on the Poor: The poor, despite a minimal ecological footprint, face the harshest climate impacts—unreliable rainfall, rising costs, & health risks. E.g. Delhi’s smoke-choked slums.
• Victim of Global Climate Change: Ranked 7^th most affected by climate change (Global Climate Risk Index). It faces erratic monsoons, frequent floods & droughts, heatwaves (e.g., >50°C in Rajasthan, 2024).

Way forward

• Global North Accountability: Developed countries must lead emission cuts (1.5°C goal) & fulfil $100B/year climate finance pledge.
• Corporate accountability through carbon taxes & meeting sustainability norms (e.g., EU Carbon Border Mechanism).
• Strengthen Environmental Institutions: Reform EIA for transparency, empower NGT with binding powers, and enforce the Polluter Pays Principle for violators (e.g., CPCB norms).
• Ecological Development Metrics & Green Economy: Shift to Green GDP (Uttarakhand 1^st state to adopt green GDP). Promote organic/regenerative farming (e.g., Sikkim), and green MGNREGA for afforestation, water conservation, and biodiversity.
• Community-led conservation: Strengthen implementation of PESA & FRA. Support community forest governance (e.g., Mendha Lekha, Sacred Groves) and revive traditional eco-practices like Nagaland’s Zabo system.
• Tackle Policy Loopholes: Prevent Global North industries from shifting polluting units to the Global South (e.g., European textile industries), and ensure India resists becoming a pollution haven.

{GS3 – Envi – RE} Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

• Context (TH): BIPV can turn entire buildings into power generators by integrating solar elements directly into architectural elements.

What is BIPV?

• Unlike RTS systems, which are added to rooftops, BIPV systems are embedded into the building’s architectural fabric, like in façades (the front exterior of a building), roofs, windows, and railings.
• They replace conventional construction materials such as glass, tiles, & cladding with solar alternatives.
  • E.g., Windows and skylights can also feature transparent or semi-transparent BIPV panels that allow natural light to enter while producing clean energy.

Significance of BIPV

• Dual Functionality: It has 2 purposes, generating electricity and working as a structural part of a building.
• Easily Adaptable: Because of their “stay out of sight” design, BIPVs can be used in residential apartments and commercial buildings as well as in public infrastructure like railway stations, airports etc.
• Clean Enmergy Transition: It has immense potential to accelerate the nation’s clean energy transition. The potential of BIPV for India’s existing building stock is estimated to be 309 GW.
• Cost Saving: By transforming conventional building components into energy-generating surfaces, BIPV can deliver long-term savings that help offset the capital costs.
• Customisation: Their transparency, colours, sizes, and shapes can also be customised to suit particular aesthetic requirements.
  • Balconies, canopies, atriums, and shading devices can be designed to house solar elements, utilising structural features for energy generation without occupying additional space.

Challenges of BIPV

• High initial costs, policy gaps, inadequate technical capacity, and reliance on imports have limited BIPV adoption in India.
• Low awareness, lack of dedicated incentives, and absence of clear standards also push BIPV out of early building design considerations.

Way Forward

• Financial Support: Renewable Energy Service Company model & long-term power purchase agreements can help enhance project reliability & enable large-scale BIPV deployment.
• Expand Solar Schemes to offer higher incentives for BIPV, especially in space-constrained urban areas.
  • The operational guidelines for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, included BIPV in the scheme, allowing consumers to opt for it in case of limited rooftop space.
• Building Codes Integration: India can consider embedding BIPV provisions in its National Building Code, the Energy Conservation Building Code, and the Eco Niwas Samhita.
• Pilot Projects: Demonstrating BIPV through pilot projects in public infrastructure (via public-private partnerships) can improve visibility and catalyse wider acceptance.
• Indigenous Manufacturing: Boosting indigenous manufacturing through production-linked incentive schemes and targeted R&D alongside awareness programmes for architects, planners, and building developers will further strengthen the ecosystem.

{GS3 – Envi – Reports} Global Energy Investment Report 2025

• Context (DTE): International Energy Agency (IEA) released 10^th edition of its Global Energy Investment report 2025.

Key Highlights

• Capital Flows To Energy Sector: Set to rise in 2025 to USD 3.3 trillion, a 2% rise in real terms on 2024.
• Global Clean Energy Investments: Projected to reach $2.2 trillion in 2025, double the investment in oil, natural gas, and coal combined. 70% of the increased spending came from net fossil fuel importers.
  • China, has more than doubled its clean energy investments to over $625 billion since 2015. Africa accounts for only 2% of clean energy investment despite supporting 20% of the world population.
  • Emissions reductions provide a powerful reason to invest. Investment in solar, both utility-scale and rooftop, is expected to reach USD 450 billion in 2025.
• Insufficient Investment: Globally, current flows are insufficient to meet the goals agreed upon at the COP28 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in 2023.
  • At COP28, countries committed to tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
• Lower Expenditure on Grid Infrastructure: Approximately $1 trillion is spent annually on generation assets, while grids receive only $400 billion worldwide.

India Specific Findings

• India has increased its investments in renewable power, from $13 billion in 2015 to $37 billion in 2025. Over the same decade, its fossil fuel investments also rose, from $41 billion to $49 billion.
• India is promoting investment in renewables and nuclear to diversify its energy mix and to meet its rising electricity demand. However, it faces roadblocks like its cost of capital for grid-scale renewable energy is 80% higher than in advanced economies.

Recommendations

• Annual investments must double to achieve a tripling of installed renewable capacity by 2030.
• World should include the cost of capital problem in ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’, launched at COP29.
  • The roadmap aims to mobilise at least $1.3 trillion in finance for low-emission projects in developing economies like India by 2035.

{GS3 – IE – Industry} How FTAs Can Reinvent India’s Textile Sector?

• Context (IE): India’s recent Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK eliminating tariffs on garments offers a pivotal opportunity for India’s textile and apparel sector. Similar FTAs with the EU and USA could further boost exports, create jobs, and enhance global competitiveness.

Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is a bilateral/multilateral trade pact that eliminates or reduces tariffs, quotas, and trade barriers between participating countries, fostering economic cooperation & market access.

How does the India-UK FTA boost India’s Textile sector?

• Zero-Duty Access: The FTA eliminates UK import tariffs of 8–12% on Indian garments and textiles. Over 99% of Indian textile and apparel products will now enter the UK.
• Market reach: Duty-free access to UK will expand market reach, giving Indian exporters a competitive price edge over countries like China and Bangladesh.
• Export growth: India holds 6% share ($1.19 billion) (China: 25%, Bangladesh: 20%) in UK apparel imports. FTA could double India’s overall textile exports to $3.2 billion by 2029 due to duty free access.

India-USA FTA: Scope for India

• India’s textile & apparel exports to the US are USD 8.1 billion (Bangladesh: USD 7.6 billion). US apparel market is valued at USD 83.6 billion, offering substantial untapped potential for Indian exporters.
• Strategic Advantage: High US tariffs on Chinese goods create a supply gap India can fill.
• Key Focus Areas:
  1. Removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), such as complex customs & certifications.
  2. Promote Man-Made Fibres (MMF), which dominate US imports.
  3. Simplify compliance processes to enhance ease of exporting.

India-EU FTA: A Necessity

• The EU apparel market is the largest globally at USD 193.6 billion.
• India’s exports to the EU are USD 5.6 billion (Bangladesh exports: USD 28.3 billion due to its LDC duty-free access). Bangladesh will lose LDC status by 2026, phasing out its zero-duty privileges. India must capitalize by securing FTA-based duty-free access, ensuring level playing field.
• Key Focus Areas:
  1. Tackle NTBs related to EU green and labour standards (e.g., ESG norms, traceability).
  2. Adapt to upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
  3. Encourage compliance through support schemes and industry modernization.

India’s Textile Sector: Status

• Economic Contribution: Contributes 2.3% to GDP, 13% to industrial production, & 12% of total exports.
• Growth potential: Projected to reach USD 350 billion by 2030.
• 6th largest global exporter, with exports to over 100 countries, with total export of USD 34.4 billion.
• Export basket: Apparel constituting 42% of the export basket, followed by raw materials/semi-finished materials at 34% and finished non-apparel goods at 30%.
• Employment: 2nd largest employment generator after agriculture with over 45 million workers.

Challenges of India’s Textile Sector

• Fragmented Manufacturing Ecosystem: The sector is dominated by MSMEs operating in silos, leading to inefficiencies, poor coordination, and scale disadvantages.
• Disjointed Value Chain: e.g. Cotton grown in Gujarat & Maharashtra and Yarn spun in Tamil Nadu.
• Scattered processing & stitching facilities increasing logistics cost & time, leading to a 63-day delivery cycle (vs 50 days for Bangladesh).
• MMFs (Man-Made Fibre) Disincentives: India’s inverted GST structure (higher tax on fibre inputs than finished goods) discourages MMF-based products.

Government Interventions for Textile Sector

• PM MITRA Parks: Integrated textile parks aim to create world-class infrastructure, reduce logistics costs, and consolidate the textile value chain from fibre to finished product.
• Kasturi Cotton Initiative: Promotes Indian cotton as a premium global brand through quality certification, traceability, and standardized branding.
• National Technical Textiles Mission: Drives innovation, research, and skill development to boost India’s competitiveness in the high-value technical textiles segment.

Policy Interventions Needed

• Simplify Export Compliance: Streamline documentation, inspection, and taxation processes to improve Ease of Doing Business in textile exports.
• Rationalize GST for MMFs: Fix inverted GST structure to encourage synthetic fibre-based manufacturing, aligning with global demand.
• Strengthen Trade Diplomacy through FTAs; address Non-Tariff Barriers like ESG, labor norms.
• Modernize Technology Through ATUFS: Incentivize replacement of outdated machinery (>15–20 years old) to improve productivity and global competitiveness.
• Sustainability Compliance: Prepare for the EU’s CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive) by adopting eco-friendly dyes, traceability, and ethical sourcing.
• Product Diversification & Innovation: Invest in high-value categories like activewear, athleisure, technical textiles, and 3D printing for flexible, customized production.

{Species – Birds – LC} Greater Flamingo Sanctuary

• Context (TH): Tamil Nadu government notified the establishment of the Greater Flamingo Sanctuary at Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu.
• The Sanctuary, located within the ecologically sensitive Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, is a critical stopover along the Central Asian Flyway.

About Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

• Greater flamingo is the most widespread and the largest flamingo species.
• Distribution: Found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and southern Europe.
  • In India, found almost everywhere except the high-altitude Himalayas, East and NE India.

Credits: Langkawi WP

• Habitat: Prefer saltwater lagoons, mudflats, saline lakes & high-altitude waterbodies.
• Diet: Crustaceans, molluscs, insects & larvae, seeds, algae, etc.

• Conservation Status: IUCN: LC | CITES: Appendix II | WPA, 1972: Schedule II.
• Threats: Habitat loss, pollution of waterbodies, increased salinity, etc.
• It is the state bird of Gujarat.

Also read > Flamingos