Today is World Wetlands Day. The day is celebrated every year on 2nd February to create awareness about conservation, significance and the role of wetlands in the protection of biodiversity.<br />”<br />”With 75 Ramsar sites covering over 13 lakh Hectares, India has the largest number of Wetlands in South Asia.&nbsp; In his latest Mann Ki Baat, &nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that now the total number of Ramsar sites in the country has increased to 75. Whereas, before 2014, there were only 26.<br />”<br />”Being the leader in the region in terms of number of Wetlands, India assumes prominence in sending a global message on conservation of one of the important ecosystems.<br />”<br />”The theme of World Wetlands Day 2023 is ‘It's Time for Wetlands Restoration’. The theme emphasises the urgent need to prioritise wetland restoration.<br />”<br />”In her 2023-24 Budget presentation yesterday in the Parliament, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman proposed two schemes to protect Wetlands and Mangroves namely Amrit Dharohar and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes MISHTI.<br />