Digital ecosystem of Agriculture initiative

In News: MoU signed between Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare with four institutions.

Context:

  • The four institutions are: (i) Patanjali Organic Research Institute (ii), Amazon Web Services (AWS) (iii), ESRI India Pvt. Ltd. (iv) Agribazar India Pvt. Ltd.
  • The MoUs have been signed with these organizations for pilot project using Kisan Database as adhaar within a period of one year:
    • With ESRI for setting up and launching of “National Agriculture Geo Hub”,
    • With Amazon Web Services for creation of digital services and innovation ecosystem linked with digital agriculture in the agricultural value chain.
    • With Patanjali for agricultural management and farmer service in 3 districts (Haridwar- Uttarakhand, Hamirpur- Uttar Pradesh and Moraina- Madhya Pradesh).
  • This database will be linked with the land records of farmers across the country and unique farmer IDs will be generated. The available data related to PM Kisan, Soil Health Card and PM Crop Insurance Scheme have already been integrated.
  • Various kind of support will be received from the database including IDEA and solutions based on it through the case based use developed with help of these pilot projects, some of which are as follows:
    • Farmers will be able to make informed decisions about which crop to grow, what type of seed to use, when to sow and what best practices to adopt to maximize yield.
    • Those involved in the agricultural supply chain can plan their procurement and logistics with accurate and timely information.
    • An accurate and smart farming can be possible by getting proper information at the right time. Farmers can decide whether they have to sell or store their produce, and further when, where and at what price they have to sell it.
    • In the process, farmers get benefitted from innovative solutions and individual-specific services powered by emerging technologies which protect their privacy.

India-Australia cooperation and collaboration in the field of Agriculture

In News: A virtual meeting between Indian Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Australian Minister for Agriculture, Drought & Emergency Management, was held June, 2021. 

Context:

  • The two Ministers met to follow up on the collaboration in field of agriculture highlighted in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced by Prime Ministers of India and Australia at their Summit on 4th June 2020.
  • The India – Australia Grains Partnership was a significant inclusion aiming to use Australia’s expertise in post-harvest management to strengthen rural grain storage and supply chains so as to reduce losses and wastage.
  • It was announced that National Institute of Agricultural Marketing will be the nodal organisation from India in the cooperation.
  • Australia has recently given market access for export of Indian pomegranates. There would be a joint strategy for deeper access for Indian mangoes and pomegranates in Australian markets led by the Indian High Commission in Canberra also. The Australian Minister assured to fast track the Indian requests for market access for okra and pomegranate arils.
  •  It was also mentioned the flagship program of National Innovation for Climate Resilient Agriculture and said collaboration could be set up with the research organisations of Australia.

Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Pharmaceuticals

In News:

  • With an aim to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities, Department of Pharmaceuticals notified the ‘Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals’.
  • The approved outlay of the scheme is Rs 15000 crore. The scheme envisages creating global champions out of India who have the potential to grow in size and scale using cutting edge technology and thereby penetrate the global value chains.
  • The scheme is now open to applications from the industry. All the applications will be submitted through an online portal maintained by SIDBI.
  • An Empowered Group of Secretaries and a Technical Committee will be set up.
  • SIDBI, the Project management Agency selected for this scheme, will be responsible for implementation and will be the interface with the industry for all issues.

APEDA organizes World Milk Day – 01 June

In News:

  • For commemorating World Milk Day, APEDA in association with Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MFAHD) organized a webinar cum interactive session on the prospects of harnessing full potential of dairy products exports from the country.
  • The schemes and programs of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying such as National Program for Dairy Development, National Livestock Mission, Livestock Health and Disease Control and Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund etc., were highlighted.
  • It was mentioned, under Animal Disease Control Program, Central Sector Scheme, initiatives for making India free from Foot and Mouth Disease with vaccination by 2025 and without vaccination by 2030, are undertaken
  • MFAHD has scheme for developing infrastructure under Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) under AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. 

RDSO becomes the FIRST Institution to be declared SDO

In News: RDSO (Research Design & Standards Organization) of Indian Railways has become the FIRST Institution to be declared SDO (Standard Developing Organization) under “One Nation One Standard” mission on BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) which is an Institution under Department of Consumer Affairs.

Context:

  • It may be noted that to attain “One Nation One Standard” vision of Govt. of India, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body, has launched a scheme which provides for “Recognition of SDO”.
  • Through this scheme, BIS aims at aggregating and integrating the existing capabilities and dedicated domain specific expertise available with various organizations in the country engaged in standards development in their specific sectors, and enable convergence of all standard development activities in the country resulting in “One National Standard for One Subject”.
  • Research Designs & Standards Organization (RDSO), Lucknow, which is the sole R&D Wing of Ministry of Railways, is one of India’s leading Standard formulating Body undertaking standardization work for railway sector.
  • In the process, RDSO reviewed its Standard Formulation procedures to realign them with the Best Practices of Standardization, encoded in the WTO-TBT “Code of Good Practice” and also mandated by the Bureau (BIS) as essential criteria for recognition as SDO.
  • The recognition is valid for 3 years and will require renewal after completion of the validity period. 
  • Some of the major benefits that will flow out of this recognition by Bureau of Indian Standards, under the BIS SDO Recognition Scheme, include Larger participation of Industry / Vendors / MSME’s / Technology Developers in IR Supply Chain, Increased competitiveness amongst Industry / Vendors, Reduction in Cost, Quantum improvement in Quality of Product & Services, Smooth Induction of latest evolving & emerging technologies on IR, Reduced dependence on imports, Thrust on “Make-in-India”, Improvement in Ease-of-Doing-Business, Recognition of RDSO on International Standards Making Bodies and Integration with Global Supply Chain / Global Trade.
  • It will also help in harmonizing the standardization activity thereby providing opportunity for greater participation of all stakeholders in formulation & implementation of National Standards and creating in the long run, a Brand India identity for quality of product manufactured inter the country.

Lt Gen Ajai Singh – 16th Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command

In News:

  • Lt Gen Ajai Singh assumed charge as the 16th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN) on June 01, 2021.
  • The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is the only tri-service theatre command of the Armed Forces, based at Port Blair.
  • As a Major with over 16 years of service, he commanded a Rifle Company in Operations VIJAY (Kargil) and MEGHDOOT (Siachen Glacier) and received the Army Chief’s Commendation for gallantry.
  • Lt Gen Ajai Singh was also selected to attend a UN Senior Mission Leader Course at Indonesia as well as the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) Course at the UK.

Expert Committee on VCC submits its report to IFSCA

In News: Dr. K.P. Krishnan headed expert committee on Variable Capital Company has submitted its report on the feasibility of Variable Capital Companies in the International Financial Services Centres to the Chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), Shri. Injeti Srinivas.

Context:

  • The IFSCA set up this Committee to explore the potential for allowing another legal structure – popularly known as a variable capital company (VCC) – as an additional option through which asset managers could pool the investors’ funds.
  • The VCC structure dispenses with some of the key limitations of companies and LLPs and provides for higher regulatory standards than those applicable to trusts.
  • Conventionally, pooling of funds in India is undertaken through three types of entities, namely, limited liability companies governed under the Companies Act, 2013; limited liability partnerships under the Limited Liability Partnership Act; and trusts governed under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882.
  • The Committee recommended the adoption of a VCC-like legal structure for the purpose of conducting fund management activity in IFSCs.
  • The Committee recognized that the legal framework governing entities that undertake fund management should provide for certainty and clarity to investors, effective segregation and ring fencing of different pools of asset, the ability to issue different classes of shares, alterations to the funds’ capital structure without regulatory approvals and the freedom to choose the appropriate accounting standards applicable to funds with different characteristics, the ability to wind up quickly.
  • IFSCA: The authority regulates financial products such as securities, deposits or contracts of insurance, financial services, and financial institutions which have been previously approved by any appropriate regulator such as Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) etc., in an IFSC.

PMGKP – Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19

In News:

  • In the fight against Covid-19, the Union Government had already extended the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ for one year w.e.f 24.04.2021.
  • Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ was launched w.e.f. 30.03.2020 initially for a period of 90 days to provide comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs. 50 lakh to all healthcare providers.
  • It included community health workers and private health workers drafted by the government for the care of Covid-19 patients and for those who may have come in direct contact of COVID-19 patients and were at risk of being impacted by it.
  • The scheme is being implemented through an Insurance policy from New India Assurance Company (NIACL). The insurance policy has been extended twice so far.

Compressed Bio Gas to give fillip to SATAT scheme

In News: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan presided over a virtual ceremony in which a number of initiatives were launched to provide major fillip to the SATAT initiative, and help India leap ahead towards a greener tomorrow.

Context:

  • This included signing of a Cooperation Agreement by Oil and Gas majors including Indian Oil, HPCL, BPCL, GAIL and IGL, for the promotion and development of the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme.
  • The SATAT scheme aims to set up Compressed Bio-Gas production plants and make CBG available in the market for use as a green fuel.
  • ‘SATAT’, launched in October 2018, envisages to target production of 15 MMT of CBG from 5000 plants by 2023.
  • Besides the potential to boost availability of more affordable transport fuels, better use of agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste, the 5000 CBG plants will provide an investment of 1.75 lakh crore, an additional revenue source to farmers, and 75,000 direct job opportunities and lakhs of indirect jobs.
  • As per the agreement, Indian Oil shall act as coordinator under the SATAT scheme and liaison with the Government and other agencies on behalf of Industry members.
  • GAIL shall serve as the coordinator for the implementation of the CBG-CGD synchronization scheme.
  • A website (www.satat.co.in) to provide a digital boost to the SATAT programme was also unveiled during the event.

China’s population norms serve as warning for India

In News: After enforcing one-child and two-child policies to control its population over the past four decades, China recently announced that it will allow couples to have a third child as it stares at a fast ageing population.

Context:

  • China’s decision to relax its two-child norm and allow couples to have three children must serve as a warning for India that coercive population strategies can be counter-productive, say experts.
  • India, on the other hand, has been toying with the idea of population control measures through a two-child norm.
  • India can learn from China’s failed experience of enforcing coercive population policies. Population control measures, however stringent, have landed China in a population crisis and in India it will be worse.
  • We will end up with the same issues of an ageing population and very few people to take care of them in another three decades.
  • In Sikkim and Lakshadweep, we are already facing the same challenge of an ageing population, shrinking workforce and an increase in sex selective practices given that they have low fertility rates.
  • India has long been concerned about curbing population “explosion”, but needs to focus its attention on population stabilisation instead.
  • India has done very well with its family planning measures and now we are at replacement level fertility of 2.1, which is desirable.
  • Replacement level fertility is the level of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next.
  • All that we need to do is to sustain population stabilisation because in some States, including Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala and Karnataka, the total fertility rate is way below replacement level, which means we will experience in 30-40 years what China is experiencing now.

WHO gives nod to China’s Sinovac Vaccine

In News:

  • The World Health Organization approved the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use — the second Chinese vaccine to receive the WHO’s green light.
  • Last month Sinopharm became the first Chinese vaccine to be approved by the WHO.
  • The WHO has also given emergency use listing to vaccines being made by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and the AstraZeneca jab being produced in India, South Korea and the EU, which it counts separately.
  • The listing opens the door for the jabs to enter the Covax scheme, which aims to provide equitable access to doses around the world, particularly in poorer countries.