What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Sanctuary Status for Forests of Saranda: Why It Matters

Context:

The recent developments surrounding the proposal to accord “sanctuary” status to the Saranda forests in Jharkhand have reignited debates over the balance between ecological preservation, tribal rights, and economic interests

Ecological Value of Saranda:

• Located in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, the Saranda forest is India’s largest sal (Shorea robusta) forest, covering over 82,000 hectares.
• The region is an ecological treasure, home to over 200 species of flora and fauna, including elephants, leopards, and several endemic species.
• It also forms a vital part of the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve, serving as a critical wildlife corridor connecting Jharkhand with Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Saranda’s dense sal canopy, water streams, and biodiversity make it a natural carbon sinkand a key component of India’s eastern forest ecosystem.
• However, beneath this ecological wealth lies immense mineral wealth, particularly iron ore, making it a hotspot of industrial interest.

Reasons for making it a Sanctuary:

• The demand for Saranda’s protection dates back to 1968, when the Bihar government recommended declaring it a wildlife sanctuary.
• The proposal gained renewed traction after reports of extensive mining-induced degradationand loss of elephant habitat.
• Despite multiple recommendations from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the sanctuary proposal remained unimplemented.
• In 2020, the National Green Tribunal (NGT)directed the Jharkhand government to act on earlier recommendations and submit a proposal for notification under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• However, the state government’s inaction prompted environmentalists to approach the Supreme Court, which is now examining the case.

Environmental and legal dimensions of the case:

• The central issue lies in balancing conservation obligations with economic development.
• Mining activities in Saranda have fragmented wildlife habitats, disrupted elephant corridors, and contaminated rivers with red-mud waste.
• The 2011 Saranda Action Plan, aimed at rehabilitation and reforestation, has yielded limited success due to continued mining leases.
• Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, declaring Saranda a sanctuary would ensure stricter regulation of industrial activities, restrict mining, and promote community-based conservation.
• However, it also raises concerns regarding the livelihoods and rights of local Adivasi communities, primarily the Ho tribe, who depend on forest produce for sustenance.

Balancing tribal rights with Ecological conservation:

• The Fifth Schedule of the Constitutionand the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) mandate consultation with local gram sabhas before altering land use in Scheduled Areas.
• Critics argue that declaring Saranda a sanctuary without adequate consultation could violate these rights.
• Conversely, proponents emphasize that sustainable conservation could benefit both biodiversity and tribal welfare through eco-tourismand forest-based livelihoods.

Steps recommended for resolving the issue:

• The Saranda issue underscores the broader challenge of reconciling ecological integrity with developmental aspirations.
• A balanced approach is needed, one that integrates scientific conservation, community participation,and sustainable resource use.
• The state must prioritize ecological restoration, enforce mining accountability,and ensure that tribal communities are central to the decision-making process.
• If declared a sanctuary, Saranda could become a model for inclusive conservation, reflecting India’s constitutional commitment to environmental protection under Article 48Aand the right to a healthy environment under Article 21.

Way forward:

Granting sanctuary status to the Saranda forests would mark a crucial step in protecting one of India’s last great sal forests while reaffirming the country’s vision of sustainable and participatory environmental governance.

 

Editorial 2: China’s GDP: Twin Takeaways

Context:

The recently released GDP data of the China for the third quarter of 2025 revealed a year-on-year growth rate of 4.8%, signaling resilience amid global volatility. However, it underlines the story of softening momentum, with deep structural issues especially on the consumption side posing significant challenges to sustainable growth.

Economic Resilience in Global Uncertainty:

• China’s economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience in recent years despite the global slowdown, a lingering property crisis, and geopolitical tensions.
• The trade war with the United States, coupled with a shift in global supply chains and weak global demand,has impacted China’s export-driven growth model.
• Nevertheless, China’s robust industrial production, technological advancements,and growing investment in green and high-tech sectors have partially cushioned the blow.
• The Chinese government’s fiscal and monetary measures,including infrastructure spending and credit easing, have also supported growth.
• Yet, economists argue that these are short-term stimulithat do not address deeper structural imbalances, especially those limiting domestic consumption and private investment.

External Resilience but Fragile Momentum:

• China’s resilience is largely externally driven but not indefinitely sustainable.
• The post-pandemic export surge, combined with the push for technological self-reliance and industrial upgrading, has maintained growth in certain sectors.
• But exports are showing signs of fatigueas global demand softens and protectionist policies rise.
• At the same time, the manufacturing and real estate sectorstraditionally engines of Chinese growth face saturation and overcapacity.
• The transition to a consumption-led, innovation-driven economy remains uneven.
• Many small and medium enterprises continue to face weak demand, and youth unemployment remains high.
• Moreover, local government debt has become a serious constraint.
• Provinces reliant on land sales and infrastructure borrowing are now struggling to service their obligations, forcing the central government to step in with bailouts or restructuring.
• This creates a fiscal drag and limits Beijing’s ability to stimulate demand further.

Weak Domestic Consumption:

• The persistent weakness of domestic consumption.
• Despite rising urbanization and higher incomes, Chinese households remain cautious spenders.
• The household saving rate is among the highest in the world, driven by uncertainties over job security, healthcare, education costs, and social welfare.
• This cautious consumer behaviour reflects deeper structural anxieties.
• China’s social security network remains underdevelopedcompared to advanced economies, compelling households to save rather than spend.
• The property sector crisis once a major source of household wealth has also eroded confidence.
• Real estate values have fallen sharply, leading to wealth effects that further depress consumption.
• Private investment has been subduedas well, partly due to regulatory crackdowns on tech giants and private tutoring firms, and partly due to declining confidence in policy predictability.
• The government’s emphasis on “common prosperity” and redistribution, though well-intentioned, has led to uncertainty among private entrepreneurs about the role of the market.

Dilemma of Policy makers:

• China now faces a policy dilemma.
• On one hand, it needs to stimulate domestic demand to achieve sustainable growth.
• On the other, it must avoid fuelling financial instability through excessive credit expansion.
• Structural reforms such as strengthening social welfare, reforming the tax system, improving labour mobility, and boosting rural consumptionare necessary to rebalance the economy.
• Policymakers are attempting to shift focus from investment-heavy, export-led growth to consumption-driven, innovation-led development.
• However, this transition requires deep reforms that may temporarily slow growth.
• The leadership under President Xi Jinping is therefore treading cautiously, emphasizing “high-quality development” and “self-reliance” in key technologies.

Way forward:

China’s latest GDP figures highlight two clear takeaways, the economy’s short-term resilience and its long-term structural fragility. While Beijing has successfully managed external shocks and maintained moderate growth, the weak consumption story reveals deep-rooted socio-economic challenges. As China seeks to rebalance its economy amid political centralization and global decoupling, its ability to sustain growth will depend on restoring confidence both among consumers at home and investors abroad.