Question map
Consider the following statements : 1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body. 3. National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The correct answer is option B (statements 2 and 3 only).
**Statement 1 is incorrect**: Animal Welfare Board was established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act[1], not under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
**Statement 2 is correct**: The Amendment Act of 2006 provides for the constitution of a statutory authority known as the National Tiger Conservation Authority to aid in the implementation of measures for the conservation of the tiger[2]. This clearly establishes its statutory nature.
**Statement 3 is correct**: The Government also established the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), chaired by the Prime Minister, with the objective to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga[3].
Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 are correct, making option B the right answer.
Sources- [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 19: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): > p. 228
- [3] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > 4.14. GANGA ACTION PLAN > p. 59
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Body-Act-Chair' matrix question. The trap in Statement 1 relies on chronological blindness—confusing the umbrella Environment Protection Act (1986) with older specific laws like the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960). Success here requires a tabular memory of Body vs. Parent Act.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Directly states the year and statutory provision under which AWBI was established.
- Identifies the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960), not the Environment (Protection) Act (1986), as the founding statute.
- Shows the exam-style question that lists the (incorrect) claim about AWBI being under the Environment (Protection) Act and provides the official answer.
- The answer indicated (Ans. B) that the statement about AWBI being under the Environment (Protection) Act is not correct, and then notes AWBI's correct establishment.
Directly states the Animal Welfare Board of India was set up in 1962 in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Knowing the Board's 1962 origin, a student can note it predates the 1986 Environment (Protection) Act and so likely was not established under that later Act.
Gives an example of a statutory body (Central Ground Water Authority) that was explicitly set up under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (in 1997).
A student can use this pattern—bodies established under the EPA are dated after 1986—to check whether the AWBI's establishment date fits that pattern.
Describes the EPA (1986) as an enabling law that allowed creation of bodies and delegated powers to the Centre (e.g., MoEF created under EPA).
A student can apply the rule that EPA-based bodies and ministries emerged after 1986, so an organization founded in 1962 would not be an EPA creation.
Explains the scope and empowering nature of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986—empowering the Central Government to take measures and create machinery for environmental protection.
A student can infer that bodies whose mandate is explicitly environmental and created after 1986 might be under EPA, while older non-environment-specific boards likely originate from earlier Acts.
Summarizes that many environmental laws were subsumed under the Environmental Protection Act (1986) and that major environmental legislation dates are listed (e.g., 1972, 1986).
A student could use these dates as a timeline: if AWBI is dated 1962, it falls outside the cohort of EPA-era creations.
- Explicitly states the Amendment Act of 2006 provides for constitution of a statutory authority called the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- Directly links the NTCA's origin to legislation (Amendment Act of 2006), which defines a statutory body.
- Notes the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 2006 provides for creation of Tiger Conservation Authority and related statutory institutions.
- Corroborates that the NTCA (Tiger Conservation Authority) was established through the 2006 Act, indicating statutory status.
- Snippet explicitly states the Government established the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) 'chaired by the Prime Minister'.
- Direct mention ties the NGRBA's chairmanship to the Prime Minister and links it to the Mission Clean Ganga/Ganga Action Plan context.
- Lists several major national bodies (NITI Aayog, National Integration Council, Inter-State Council, National Water Resources Council) that the Prime Minister chairs, showing precedent for PM chairing national authorities.
- Supports the pattern that the Prime Minister commonly chairs high-level national coordinating bodies, reinforcing plausibility of [4].
- States the Prime Minister is ex-officio chairperson of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), another apex body chaired by the PM.
- Provides an additional example of the PM serving as chair of a national authority, corroborating the governance role noted in [4].
- [THE VERDICT]: Standard/Fair. Covered in Shankar IAS (Environment) and Laxmikanth (Polity). Statement 1 is the differentiator.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Institutional Framework of Environmental Governance (Statutory Bodies vs. Executive Bodies).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize this matrix: 1. NBWL (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) -> Chair: PM. 2. CPCB (Water Act, 1974) -> Chair: Govt Appointee. 3. NTCA (WPA, 1972 via 2006 Amdt) -> Chair: Environment Minister. 4. NGT (NGT Act, 2010) -> Chair: Retired Judge. 5. Biodiversity Authority (Biological Diversity Act, 2002).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Never read a body in isolation. Always ask three questions: Which Act created it? Who chairs it (PM vs. Minister)? Is it statutory or executive? If the body is 'National' and 'High Profile' (like Ganga or Wildlife), the PM is usually the chair.
Reference [1] states AWBI was set up in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, directly addressing the AWBI’s statutory basis.
High-yield for UPSC: questions often ask the legal basis and year of statutory bodies. Knowing the specific parent Act helps distinguish sectoral institutions (animal welfare vs environment). Connects to governance/legislation topics and helps answer 'which body created under which Act' type MCQs and mains facts. Prepare by memorising key bodies with their founding Acts and years from reliable compendiums.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 27: Environmental Organizations > 27.1. THE ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA > p. 381
Multiple references ([2], [5], [8]) describe the EPA 1986 as an enabling environmental law and note agencies set up under it (e.g., CGWA in [8]), clarifying the EPA’s domain and the kinds of bodies it establishes.
Important because UPSC questions test the scope and consequences of landmark Acts (EPA 1986). Knowing EPA is an enabling Act that created environment-regulatory mechanisms (not animal-welfare boards) helps eliminate wrong options. Study approach: map major environmental Acts, their powers, and notable bodies created under them (with examples).
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 7: Environmental Impact Assessment > 7.1.INDIAN POLICIES REQUIRING EIA > p. 128
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.3. ENVIRONMENT (PRoTECTIetr) > p. 72
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 11: Irrigation in India > CENTRAL GROUND WATER AUTHORITY (CGWA) > p. 368
Evidence contrasts AWBI’s creation under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (reference [1]) with the EPA 1986’s remit and later institutional creations (references [2], [8]), highlighting different legal domains.
Crucial for precision in answer-writing and MCQ elimination—UPSC often tests which body/issue falls under which law. Master by categorising major Acts by subject (wildlife, pollution, animal cruelty) and linking each to bodies/institutions mentioned in standard sources.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 27: Environmental Organizations > 27.1. THE ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA > p. 381
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 7: Environmental Impact Assessment > 7.1.INDIAN POLICIES REQUIRING EIA > p. 128
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 11: Irrigation in India > CENTRAL GROUND WATER AUTHORITY (CGWA) > p. 368
The NTCA is described as being constituted by the Amendment Act of 2006, illustrating creation of bodies by statute.
High-yield for Governance/Polity: UPSC often asks differences between constitutional, statutory and executive bodies, their legitimacy and functions. Understanding how Acts create statutory authorities helps answer questions on institutional design, delegation of powers, and accountability. Learn by mapping key bodies to their enabling laws and practising comparative questions.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 19: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): > p. 228
References show the 2006 amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act created/provided for the NTCA and related agencies.
Important for Environment & Governance: Questions often probe statutory frameworks for conservation and the institutions they establish. Knowing which laws set up which authorities aids answers on policy, legal powers, and implementation. Study the Act's major provisions and the bodies it creates for synoptic answers.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Contd.) > p. 89
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 19: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): > p. 228
One reference indicates State Governments notify tiger reserves on recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, showing a defined statutory function.
Useful for UPSC mains and prelims: Understanding specific statutory functions (e.g., advisory/recommendatory power vs. executive power) connects to questions on centre-state relations, wildlife governance, and implementation challenges. Prepare by linking functions to institutional setup and real-world examples.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > 16.r.r. Tiger Reserve > p. 227
Multiple references show the PM chairs or is ex‑officio chair of high-level national bodies (NGRBA, NITI Aayog, NDMA), directly relevant to the statement.
High-yield for polity questions: UPSC often asks about institutional leadership and who heads key councils/authorities. Understanding this pattern helps answer questions on administrative oversight and inter‑ministerial coordination. Study approach: memorise major bodies chaired by the PM and note statutory vs. advisory bodies; link to chapters on executive powers and national institutions.
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 20: Prime Minister > Other Powers &- Functions > p. 209
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 68: National Disaster Management Authority > L ESTABLISHMENT > p. 516
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > 4.14. GANGA ACTION PLAN > p. 59
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is NOT constituted under the Environment Protection Act or the Air Act. It is constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. This is a frequent potential trap similar to the AWBI statement.
Use Chronological Logic. The Environment Protection Act came in 1986 (post-Bhopal Gas Tragedy). The Animal Welfare Board (associated with Rukmini Devi Arundale) has a Gandhian legacy and feels older. If you knew AWBI was established in the 1960s, it logically cannot be under a 1986 Act.
Mains GS-2 (Federalism): Bodies like NGRBA (now National Ganga Council) represent 'Cooperative Federalism' as they involve the PM and Chief Ministers of river-basin states, unlike the NTCA which is more centralized under the MoEFCC.