AMCHANG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• A highly decomposed carcass of an elephant was discovered in the Khanapara range of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary.
• This is a small Sanctuary, famous for rare and endangered animals and birds, located in the eastern fringe of Guwahati city, Assam.

FACTS About Elephant :

Centre''s Net Borrowing Ceiling (NBC)

• The Centre''s Net Borrowing Ceiling (NBC) on State borrowing raises concern over fiscal autonomy.
• The Net Borrowing Ceiling (NBC) is a fiscal measure set by the Union government to limit how much states can borrow each year. The NBC for fiscal year 2023-24 is set at 3% of each state''s projected Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), as per the Fifteenth Finance Commission''s recommendations.

Govt lists out reasons behind FCRA cancellations

• Any NGO involved in anti-developmental activities, religious conversion, inciting protests with malicious intentions or that has links to terrorist or radical organisations will face the cancellation of its FCRA registration, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced.  
• In a notice uploaded on an official website, the MHA also said that any NGO whose acceptance of foreign funding may affect social or religious harmony or is involved in induced or forceful religious conversion or proselytisation will face cancellation of its registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
• FCRA registration will also be cancelled if any NGO is not utilising foreign funding as per the aims and objectives of the NGO or if it has not uploaded the annual returns.
• According to the law, all NGOs receiving foreign contributions have to be registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or else are not allowed to accept foreign funding.

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act

• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, came into effect in 2011. 
• It has been enacted by Parliament to consolidate the law to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals or associations or companies and to prohibit acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality for any activities detrimental to national interest and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• While the provisions of the repealed FCRA, 1976, have generally been retained, the FCRA, 2010, is an improvement over the repealed Act as more stringent provisions have been made in order to prevent misutilisation of the foreign contribution received by the associations.
• In September 2020, the Parliament passed the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020. It received the Presidential assent on September 28, 2020.

Key provisions of the FCRA:

• 1) A person who is registered under this Act cannot transfer foreign contribution to any other person. The term ‘person’ under the Act includes an individual, an association, or a registered company.
• 2) The following are prohibited to receive foreign contribution:
• Candidate for election, MPs, MLAs.
• Correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner, printer or publisher of a registered newspaper.
• Public servant, judge or employee of any corporation or any other body controlled or owned by the government. Public servant means any person who is in service or pay of the government, or remunerated by the government for the performance of any public duty.
• Political party or office bearer thereof.
• 3) Providing the Aadhaar number of the office-bearers of an NGO is mandatory for the registration of the organisation under the FCRA. In case of a foreigner, a copy of the passport or Overseas Citizen of India Card is a must. 
• 4) Every person who has been granted certificate or prior permission shall receive foreign contribution only in an account designated as ‘FCRA Account’ by the bank, which shall be opened by the person in the State Bank of India in New Delhi. No funds other than foreign contribution shall be received or deposited in any such account.
• However, the person can open another ‘FCRA Account’ in any of the scheduled banks for the purpose of keeping or utilising the foreign contribution which has been received from SBI branch in New Delhi.
• 5) Maximum limit for utilising foreign contribution for administrative (office) expenses have been brought down to 20 per cent. Earlier, it was 50 per cent.
• 6) On the basis of any information or report and after holding a summary inquiry, if a person is found to have contravened any of the provisions of this Act, the central government can direct that such person shall not utilise the remaining foreign contribution without prior approval.
• 7) The central government may permit any person to surrender the registration certificate, if it is confirmed that such person has not contravene any of the provisions of the Act, and the management of foreign contribution and asset has been vested in the authority.
• 8) Earlier, the government could suspend the registration for only 180 days during which no foreign funding could be received. Following the amendment, it has been extended to up to 180 additional days.
• 9) Before renewing the certificate, the government may make an inquiry to satisfy itself that the person has fulfilled following conditions:
• The person is not fictitious or benami.
• Has not been prosecuted or convicted for indulging in activities aimed at conversion through inducement or force, either directly or indirectly, from one religious faith to another.
• Has not been prosecuted or convicted for creating communal tension or disharmony in any specified district or any other part of the country.
• Has not been found guilty of diversion or mis-utilisation of its funds.
• The person is not engaged or likely to engage in propagation of sedition or advocate violent methods to achieve its ends.
• The person is not likely to use the foreign contribution for personal gains or divert it for undesirable purposes.
• Has not contravene any of the provisions of the Act.
• Has not been prohibited from accepting foreign contribution.

Other main reasons behind FCRA cancellations:

• Giving a long list of reasons under which an NGO''s FCRA registration is cancelled, the MHA said an NGO’s FCRA registration can be cancelled if no activity has been carried out by it or it has become defunct or the claimed activities could not be corroborated during field inquiry or field inquiry has revealed that no reasonable activity for the welfare of society has been undertaken by the NGO during last two-three years.
• Other reasons for cancellation include prosecution pending against any office bearer, member, or key functionaries for not responding to clarifications sought, or for not providing requisite information or documents despite being given the opportunity to do so.
• If an NGO has diverted foreign contribution for carrying out anti-development activities or inciting malicious protests, field inquiry has revealed the likelihood of personal gain by the organisation or by the office bearers, or the foreign contribution is likely to have been utilised for undesirable activities, linkage with terrorist organisations or anti-national organisations, key functionaries have links with terrorist or radical organisations, their FCRA registration would be cancelled.
• If any field agency has reported adverse inputs against the NGO and its acceptance of foreign funding is likely to affect social, religious harmony or is involved in induced, forceful religious conversion or proselytisation or its office bearers have linkage with radical organisations — the organisation will also face action under the FCRA.
• The notice said not utilising any foreign funding for projects as per the aims and objectives of the NGO, not uploading annual returns of any of the previous six financial years, and not fulfilling the criteria of spending a minimum amount of Rs 15 lakh of its core activities for the welfare of society during the last three financial years were also included as reasons for cancellation of FCRA registration.

Inter-State Council reconstituted with PM Modi as chairman

• The Inter-State Council has been reconstituted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its chairman, all Chief Ministers and nine Union ministers as members and 13 Union ministers as permanent invitees.
• The vision of the council is to work for Centre-State and interstate coordination and cooperation besides creating a strong institutional framework to promote and support cooperative federalism in the country.
• According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Union ministers belonging to NDA allies Janata Dal (United), Janata Dal (Secular), Telugu Desam Party and Lok Janshakti Party are part of the reconstituted council.
• Prime Minister Modi will be the chairman, Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories having a legislative assembly and administrators of Union Territories not having a legislative assembly will be members of the high-powered committee.
• Members of the council include Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nirmala Sitharaman, Manohar Lal Khattar, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Virendra Kumar and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.
• Permanent invitees of the council are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, H.D. Kumaraswamy, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Jual Oram, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Bhupender Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, G Kishan Reddy, Chirag Paswan and C.R. Patil.

Inter-State Council

• Article 263 of the Constitution envisages establishment of an institutional mechanism for coordination of policies and their implementation among its constitutional units.
• Accordingly, the Inter-State Council (ISC) was set up through a Presidential Order on May 28, 1990.
• The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Council. 
• Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories (UTs) having Legislative Assemblies, Administrators of UTs not having Legislative Assemblies, governors of states under President’s Rule and Union ministers nominated by the chairman are members of the Council. 
• The Inter-State Council Secretariat was set up in 1991. The Council Secretariat monitors the implementation of the recommendations made by the ISC, and places the Action Taken Report before the Standing Committee/ISC for consideration.

Why was the Inter-State Council formed?

• The Constitution provides for a polity, which clearly defines spheres of authority between the Union and states to be exercised in the fields assigned to them. Consistent with this, the Constitution has made an elaborate distribution of powers between the Union and states in the areas of legislative, administrative and financial powers. 
• The subject of Legislative Power has, accordingly, been classified into three Lists – Union List (List I), State List (List II) and the Concurrent List (List III) in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. 
• Residuary powers of legislation have been vested in Parliament. The Union government has, from time to time, taken steps to look into the contentious issues between the Centre and states in the areas of distribution of powers.
• The Union government constituted a Commission in 1988 under the chairmanship of Justice R.S. Sarkaria to review the working of the existing arrangements between the Union and states. 
• One of the important recommendations of Sarkaria Commission was for establishing a permanent Inter-State Council as an independent national forum for consultation with a mandate well defined in accordance with Article 263 of the Constitution of India. 
• Pursuant to the recommendation, the Inter-State Council was set up in 1990.

Functions of the ISC

• The ISC has been assigned the duties of investigating and discussing such subjects in which some or all of the states, or the Union and one or more of the states have a common interest, and to make recommendations for better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject. 

 It deliberates upon such other matters of general interest of the states as may be referred to by the chairman to the Council.

• The mandate of the Council is to create a strong institutional framework to promote and support cooperative federalism in the country, and activate the Council and Zonal Councils by organising regular meetings.
• It also facilitates consideration of all pending and emerging issues of the Centre-state and inter-state relations by the Zonal Councils and ISC and develops a sound system of monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the ISC and Zonal Councils.

Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council

• The Standing Committee of ISC was constituted in 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council. 
• The Union Home Minister is the chairman of the Standing Committee.
• The revised committee structure aims to enhance coordination and effectiveness in addressing inter-state matters across the country.
• The committee comprises 12 members. Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Virendra Kumar and CR Patil as well as Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are part of the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council.
• The Standing Committee will have continuous consultation and process matters for consideration of the Council;
• The Standing Committee will have continuous consultation and process matters for consideration of the Council, process all matters pertaining to Centre-state relations before they are taken up for consideration in the ISC.
• The Standing Committee also monitors the implementation of the decisions taken on the recommendations of the Council and considers any other matter referred to it by the chairman or the Council.

Odisha to host 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention

• The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be organised from January 8 to 10, 2025 in Bhubaneswar in collaboration with the Odisha government.

• The official website of the 18th PBD Convention was jointly launched by Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

• The theme of the PBD Convention for 2025 is ‘Diaspora’s contribution to a Viksit Bharat’.

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention provides an important platform to engage and connect with the Indian diaspora.

• President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and preside over the valedictory session.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on January 9 to recognise the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the growth and development of India. 

• January 9 was chosen for PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa and led its freedom struggle.

• Theme-based PBD Conventions are held once every two years with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policy makers and stakeholders. 

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is a flagship event of the government of India and provides an important platform to engage and connect with the overseas Indian diaspora. 

• The first PBD Convention was organised on January 2, 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

• These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.

• Since 2015, under a revised format, PBD Convention has been organised once every 2 years.

• During the convention, selected overseas Indians are honoured with prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards, to recognise their contribution in various fields both in India and abroad.

Stability of Indian Rupee

• The rupee hit a new low against the dollar, falling to 84.38 per dollar.
• The stability of the rupee means the stability of the exchange rate, which is defined as the value of rupee against the major foreign currencies. 
• The exchange rate governs how goods, services, and capital flow between countries. High fluctuation in the exchange rate can create financial stress in a country as it affects the balance of payment and trading relations, which in turn also affect the domestic economic structure. 
• If India is to become a high-income economy, the exchange rate must respond freely to market forces, sending proper signals to market participants about supply and demand.

 Reason for the recent fall of the rupee against the US dollar

 Rising Geopolitical Tension

• The recent decline in the rupee value is mainly due to an increase in crude oil prices (West Asia crisis), which has raised India''s import costs; increasing the demand for dollars. 

Capital outflow

• Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) recently sold their Indian shares of value Rs 4,329.79 crore, which resulted in a net outflow of foreign capital from India. Many foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are diverting their investments to China, where the government has announced attractive financial incentives.

Structural Weaknesses

• Domestic structural economic weaknesses include a large current account deficit, which is mainly caused by high dependence on imports of energy and critical materials. Despite efforts such as the ''Make in India'' initiative, reliance on imports in sectors such as electronics, machinery, and chemicals has not decreased significantly, bringing pressure on the rupee.

Effect of weakening rupee 

• The weakening rupee will increase fiscal stress, which can force the government to increase subsidies for imported energy and fertilizers to reduce the burden on citizens, this will increase the overall budget deficit, and limit growth potential.
• As the rupee falls, industries that depend on imported inputs, such as electronics, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals, will face higher production costs, which will reduce their profit margins, and may result in higher consumer prices or production cuts, this situation will increase inflation and unemployment.
• The falling rupee increases the cost of foreign borrowing for Indian businesses. As the rupee falls, interest rates on foreign currency loans rise, resulting in higher EMIs on existing loans and making it more difficult for businesses to access new credit. This could slow capital expenditure (capex) growth and halt infrastructure projects.

How RBI responded to the rupee''s depreciation and what are the consequences?

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) interrupted the currency market; selling dollars to protect the rupee from depreciation. 
• The RBI''s ability to intervene on a regular basis is limited, and using foreign exchange reserves to support the currency could indicate a lack of fiscal resilience in the Indian economy, that will affect investors'' confidence and impact the overall business environment.
• The RBI''s intervention violates basic economic principles; in a free market economy, the government should not determine the price of goods, services, or assets. Instead, the market should set the price by supply and demand.

Way Forward

• To address the rupee''s depreciation, economists propose policy measures aimed at increasing exports, reducing oil dependency, and improving domestic production in important sectors. These measures would help to reduce the structural trade imbalance and strengthen the rupee in the long run.

What is AFSPA?

• The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 was introduced to tackle increasing violence in certain regions, particularly in the northeastern states, where state governments were struggling to maintain control. 
• The Act provides the armed forces with wide-ranging powers in designated “disturbed areas” to aid civil authorities in maintaining law and order.

Key Provisions of AFSPA:

• The armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in “disturbed areas” are empowered to:
• Use force, including lethal force, against individuals acting in contravention of the law.
• Arrest individuals without a warrant.
• Conduct searches of premises without a warrant. These forces are also protected from prosecution for actions taken under AFSPA without the prior sanction of the central government.
• Jurisdiction: Both the state and Union governments can issue notifications declaring certain areas as “disturbed”, granting the armed forces the authority under AFSPA.
• For Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issues periodic notifications.

Disturbed Areas under AFSPA:

• Defined under Section 3 of the Act, a “disturbed area” is where the use of armed forces is deemed necessary to support civil authorities in maintaining law and order.

Declaration of Disturbed Areas:

• • An area can be declared disturbed due to conflicts or disputes between various religious, racial, linguistic, regional, or caste-based communities.
• The central government, Governor of the state, or the administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of a state or union territory as a disturbed area.
• Once declared, the region is maintained as disturbed for at least three months under The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976.

AFSPA in Practice:

• AFSPA has been in force primarily in the northeastern states of India, such as Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. 
• The Act was also applied in Jammu & Kashmir until its partial revocation in certain areas. 
• The scope and duration of AFSPA can vary depending on the region’s security situation. 
• State governments can make recommendations on whether the Act is necessary, but the final decision lies with the central government. 

Arguments in favour of repealing AFSPA

• i) Colonial-Era Law: AFSPA is often compared to the Rowlatt Act of 1919, a draconian colonial law that allowed arrest without trial based on mere suspicion. Critics argue that AFSPA reflects similar colonial mindsets, prioritising control over due process and human rights.
• ii) Violation of Fundamental Rights: The law is seen as violating multiple Fundamental Rights mentioned in the Indian Constitution:
• Article 14 (Right to Equality): AFSPA provides arbitrary powers to armed forces, leading to discrimination and inequality in the enforcement of law.
• Article 19 (Freedom of Speech and Expression): The arbitrary powers of search, arrest, and detention limit citizens’ ability to freely express their views, especially in conflict areas.
• Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty): AFSPA allows the armed forces to take life without judicial oversight.
• Article 22 (Protection against Arrest and Detention): The Act enables arrest without a warrant, bypassing safeguards for citizens’ liberty.
• Article 25 (Freedom of Religion): The powers under AFSPA can lead to targeting specific communities, especially those engaged in cultural and religious practices that may be viewed with suspicion by authorities.
• iii) Violation of International Law: 
• AFSPA is seen as violating international legal standards, particularly:
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees basic human rights and dignity.
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which India has ratified and which obliges the country to protect civil and political rights, including the right to life, liberty, and freedom from arbitrary arrest.
• The Convention against Torture, as the immunity provided by AFSPA can lead to allegations of torture and mistreatment without accountability.
• iv) Lack of Accountability: AFSPA grants sweeping powers to the armed forces but includes immunity from prosecution without the approval of the central government. This lack of oversight is seen as fostering impunity, where security forces are not held accountable for alleged human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and torture.
• v) Militarisation of Governance: Critics argue that AFSPA contributes to the militarisation of governance, where military authority takes precedence over civilian administration in conflict zones. This undermines democratic principles and weakens the role of elected representatives and civil society in decision-making processes.
• vi) Centre-State Conflicts: Law and order is a State subject under the Indian Constitution, and states are typically better positioned to assess and manage the security situation on the ground. AFSPA undermines states’ autonomy by granting the central government and military forces overriding authority, even in times when there is relative peace, creating friction between the Centre and the states.

Arguments Against Repealing AFSPA

• i) Safeguarding National Borders: AFSPA has enabled military forces to secure national borders, especially in sensitive regions like the northeast and Jammu & Kashmir, which are prone to infiltration and insurgency. The law empowers the military to act swiftly in hostile environments, protecting India''s territorial integrity.
• ii) Constitutional Validity: The Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutionality of AFSPA in the landmark Naga People’s Movement of Human Rights vs Union of India (1997) case. 
• The court laid down guidelines to prevent abuse, such as:
• Consultation with state governments before declaring an area as “disturbed”.

 Periodic review of the disturbed area status to ensure that AFSPA is applied only when absolutely necessary.

• iii) Effective Counter-Insurgency: AFSPA is viewed as crucial for combating insurgent groups, especially in conflict-prone areas like Kashmir and the northeastern states. The presence of well-armed militant organisations in these regions poses significant challenges to the state''s law and order apparatus. 
• AFSPA allows for the deployment of military forces in support of civilian authorities in such volatile situations.
• iv) National Security Imperative: AFSPA ensures a coordinated and comprehensive response to terrorism and insurgency, which individual states might lack the capacity to handle independently. 
• • The law gives the armed forces the authority to neutralise threats before they escalate into larger conflicts, thereby maintaining internal security.
• v) Measures to Curb Misuse: Legal safeguards have been introduced to prevent the misuse of AFSPA. In the Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families vs Union of India (2016) case, the Supreme Court clarified that AFSPA does not grant invincible immunity to armed forces personnel. 
• Soldiers involved in illegal actions can be prosecuted, providing a balance between national security and accountability.

WIND ENERGY IN INDIA

• The Tamil Nadu government introduced the "Tamil Nadu Repowering, Refurbishment, and Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects - 2024" to revitalize and extend the lives of old wind turbines, but wind energy generators argue that it does not adequately promote generation.

Wind Energy

• Wind power is generated by converting the kinetic energy of air in motion into electricity. Wind rotates the rotor blades of wind turbines, converting kinetic energy into rotational energy. A rotating part transfers the rotational energy to the generator, producing electrical energy.

Wind Energy in India

• India has the world''s fourth-largest installed wind energy capacity.
• The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) estimates that India has a wind energy potential of 1,163.86 GW at 150 meters above ground level.
• As of September 2024, wind energy accounts for nearly 47 GW of India''s total installed renewable energy capacity of 200 GW, including large hydro.
• Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have the highest potential for wind energy generation. Together, these states account for more than 93% of India''s wind power capacity.

Significance of Wind Energy

• Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable resource that is essential for transition to a more environmentally friendly energy future. Wind power is abundant in areas such as Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and can be used without harming the environment.
• Wind energy has become more affordable due to technological advancements and economies of scale. Modern wind turbines require less maintenance and have longer lifespans, which lower its operational costs.
• It contributes to better air quality by generating electricity without emitting harmful pollutants.
• It lowers carbon emissions by replacing fossil fuel-based power generation. This contributes to cleaner air and can help India to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include affordable clean energy and climate action.
• The growth of the wind energy industry is creating numerous job opportunities. By 2030, millions of new jobs are expected to be created in a range of industries, including wind energy plant installation, maintenance, and operation.

Initiatives taken to promote wind energy sector

• The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy of 2015 established a framework for developing offshore wind energy in Exclusive Economic Zone. It allows the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) to identify potential offshore sites and promote the implementation of offshore wind projects.
• The Guidelines for Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (2017) to promote transparency and cost-effective wind energy procurement by encouraging competitive bidding, the policy reduces wind energy tariffs, making it more affordable and attractive to investors.
• The National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy (2018) promotes the integration of wind and solar energy into hybrid projects to improve grid stability while reducing dependency on a single energy source, which can result in a more dependable and environmentally friendly power supply.
• The Green Energy Corridor Project to build transmission infrastructure to integrate renewable energy, including wind power, into the national grid, to ensure that wind energy generated in different regions is efficiently transmitted and distributed across the country.

Challenges with the Wind Energy Sector 

• Wind energy generation is highly weather-dependent, making it unpredictable during severe weather events such as monsoons, therefore energy production can become inconsistent and unreliable.
• Acquiring large plots of land for wind farms is a difficult and time-consuming process. Bureaucratic challenges and land disputes often result in project delays and increased costs.
• Wind energy projects have high initial costs, and their economic viability is often questioned. In Tamil Nadu, turbines installed after 2018 lack a banking facility, which means that the energy generated cannot be stored, which reduces the economic viability of these projects.
• The expansion of urban areas near wind farms has reduced the available land for new wind projects and also raising challenges to the financial viability of existing wind energy installations.
• Wind farms may lead to disruptions to local ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Wind energy projects frequently face opposition due to concerns about the impact on bird migration routes and local wildlife habitats.

Way Forward 

• Need to design policies to promote industry growth by providing incentives, promoting easy land acquisition, and lowering regulatory barriers to ensure that investments in wind energy projects remain stable and sustainable.
• Initiatives should be taken to promote Wind farms (developed by integrating with agriculture or grazing land) to improve land use efficiency, This dual use of land allows farmers to lease portions of their land for wind turbines, and increase their income without significantly disrupting farming operations.
• Government Should promote hybrid renewable projects by combining the benefits of wind and solar power to maximize land use and improve grid reliability to provide a more stable and sustainable energy solution while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.