Wetland City Accreditation: PM Modi recently congratulated Indore (MP), and Udaipur for being the first 2 cities of India added to the list of 31 Wetland Accredited Cities worldwide.

• About: Wetlands are areas of land that are covered by water or have waterlogged soil for a significant portion of the year.
• Wetland City Accreditation Scheme: A voluntary accreditation system established by the Ramsar Convention during the COP 12, 2015.

o Aim: To recognize the importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments and to take appropriate measures to conserve and protect these wetlands.

o To further promote the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.

• Criteria: To be formally accredited, a candidate for the Wetland City Accreditation should satisfy the standards used to implement each of the six international criteria mentioned Operational Guidance for WCA of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• Validity: Once granted it is valid for 6 years.