Tag Wise Current Affairs
Tag: Agriculture
Goverment Announce Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 02 February 2019
Odisha Government adds scholarship component to KALIA Scheme
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 04 February 2019
Cabinet approves National Rural Economic Transformation Project
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 20 February 2019
Brazil, Australia lodge complaint in WTO over India's sugar subsidies
Tags: Industries, Agriculture
Published on: 02 March 2019
Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Jl-VAN Yojana
Tags: Agriculture, Infrastructure
Published on: 02 March 2019
Rice Knowledge Bank–Assam launched under APART project
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 05 March 2019
Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 28 February 2019
World Bank to fund National Rural Economic Transformation Project
Tags: Agriculture, Women & Child
Published on: 06 March 2019
Transport and Marketing Assistance Scheme for Agriculture Products launched
Tags: Agriculture, Commerce & Industry
Published on: 06 March 2019
Guatemala files complaint over India’s sugar subsidies at WTO
Tags: World Economy, Agriculture
Published on: 26 March 2019
Coffee Board launches blockchain based coffee e-marketplace
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 29 March 2019
Government extends ban on import of milk products from China
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 24 April 2019
Honey Mission: KVIC distributes more than one lakh bee-boxes
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 07 May 2019
Cabinet clears scheme for controlling foot & mouth diseases of animals
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 01 June 2019
Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 02 June 2019
Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Government allocates funds for establishment of Gokul Grams
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 22 June 2019
1st India International Cooperatives Trade Fair held in New Delhi
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 03 July 2019
Haryana Government launches Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 07 July 2019
Agri-Business Incubation Centre launched in Chhattisgarh
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 15 July 2019
CCEA approves creation of 40 lakh metric tonne sugar buffer stock
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 25 July 2019
Pesticides exposure among tea workers can affect DNA
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 25 November 2019
Government procures only 3% of targeted pulses under PM-AASHA scheme
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 05 December 2019
Punjab declares entire state as ‘Principal Market Yard’
Tags: Agriculture
Published on: 28 September 2020
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana was announced in Interim Budget 2019-20 to provide assured income support to small and marginal farmers. This scheme will be made effective retrospectively from 1st December 2018 and first installment for period upto 31st March 2019 will be paid during this year itself.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana</strong></span></span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is farm support scheme aimed at addressing farm sector in crisis by providing an assured income support to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will not only provide assured supplemental income to most vulnerable farmer families and but also help to meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Intended Beneficiaries:</strong> Vulnerable landholding farmers having cultivable land upto 2 hectares. It is expected to benefit around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families. It will enable farmers to earn and live respectable living.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits:</strong> It will provide vulnerable landholding farmers <strong>direct income support of Rs. 6000 per year</strong>. This income support will be transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in three equal instalments of Rs. 2,000 each.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Funding:</strong> It will be funded by Central Government. It will entail annual expenditure of Rs.75,000 crore</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Need </strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, there has been decline in income of farmer family leading to farm distress across the country due to declining prices of agricultural commodities in international market and fall in food inflation in domestic market relative to non-food sector.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is need to provide structured income support to poor land-holder farmer families in country for procuring inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, equipment, labour etc. and to meet other needs.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Such support will help marginal farmers in avoiding indebtedness as well and falling into clutches of money lenders.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Similar schemes of states governments</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Rythu Bandhu of Telangana</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was first direct farmer investment support scheme to be launched in India where the cash is paid directly into the farmers' account.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers get Rs 8,000 investment support in two instalments ahead of Kharif and Rabi season. There is no cap on land holding for beneficiaries and also incorporates tenant farmers as beneficiaries. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also has insurance component.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Krishak Bandhu scheme of West Bengal</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It offers input support of Rs.5000 per acre in two instalments to farmers,<strong> </strong>one during Kharif and another during Rabi season. Farmers can also take financial assistance at one go.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, farmers (earning family member) aged between 18 and 60 years are also provided life insurance cover of Rs 2,00,000 in case of death, irrespective of cause. They are not required to pay any premium to avail the insurance benefit.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA scheme of Odisha</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">KALIA stands for Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation. It benefits 92% of the cultivators in state including big farmers to landless cultivators.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is most comprehensive of all income support scheme announced so far as it covers landless agricultural labourers along with marginalized farmers and vulnerable agricultural households.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, Rs 10,000 per family is provided as assistance for cultivation, Rs 5,000 each in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, financial assistance is not linked to the quantum of land owned. It also has provision for interest-free crop loan upto Rs. 50000.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also targets landless households, specifically SC/ST families by providing them assistance of Rs 12,500 for activities like goat rearing, beekeeping, poultry farming, fishery and mushroom cultivation.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also provides life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of same amount for 57 lakh households.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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'metadescription' => 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana was announced in Interim Budget 2019-20 to provide assured income support to small and marginal farmers.',
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
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'title' => 'Odisha Government adds scholarship component to KALIA Scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Odisha Government has launched KALIA Chhatra Bruti Scheme to help farmers’ children in state to pursue higher studies in disciplines such as medicine, engineering, management and law etc. This scholarship scheme is new component of recently launched KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA Chhatra Bruti Scheme</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, children of beneficiary farmers KALIA scheme will be provided scholarship for pursuing higher education.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its main beneficiary are children of farmers who have taken admission at Government Professional colleges on merit basis. State government will bear the educational expenses of these children.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is income support scheme launched by Odisha Government to provide financial, livelihood, cultivation support along with insurance support to small, marginal and the landless farmers.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is package scheme for farmers' welfare launched to accelerate agricultural prosperity and elimination of poverty.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Intended beneficiaries: </strong>It primary targets are small farmers and marginal farmers, sharecroppers, cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. It also targets landless households, specifically SC/ST families. It will benefit around 92% of the cultivators in the state and include every category from big farmers to landless cultivators irrespective of quantum of land owned.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Funding:</strong> State Government has allocated Rs. 10,180 crore over three years until 2020-21 for this scheme i.e. for five cropping seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Components of Scheme</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Support for Cultivation: </strong>Rs. 10, 000 per family will be provided to beneficiary farmers as assistance for cultivation. It will be provided in two installments, Rs 5,000 each in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers can use this assistance to purchase seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and also for labour.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Support for livelihood: </strong>It supports Landless households, specifically SC and ST families with unit cost of Rs. 12,500 for livelihood activities like goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, poultry farming and fishery.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Financial Assistance:</strong> Rs. 10,000 per annum will be provided to 10 lakh vulnerable households and landless laborers.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Life Insurance Cover: </strong>It also provides life insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of the same amount to 57 lakh households of cultivators and landless agri labourers.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Interest Free Crop Loans:</strong> It proposes interest-free crop loans up to Rs 50,000.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 101,
'title' => 'Atal Bhujal Yojana ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) is Central Sector Scheme aimed at sustainable ground water management with community participation in select over-exploited and ground water stressed areas in seven States. It is implemented by Ministry of Water Resources with help of World Bank.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Objectives of ABHY</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Recharge ground water and create sufficient water storage for agricultural purposes.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Revive surface water bodies so that ground water level can be increased, especially in the rural areas.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Give emphasis to recharging ground water sources and ensure efficient use of water by involving people at local level.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Features of ABHY</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has total outlay of Rs. 6,000 Crore. Funding pattern is 50:50 between Central Government and World Bank.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is being implemented in the identified over-exploited (OE) and water stressed areas inseven States viz. <em>Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh</em>.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It envisages active participation of communities in various activities such as formation of ‘Water User Associations’, monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also seeks implementation of Gram-panchayat-wise water security plans and Information Education Communication (IEC) activities related to sustainable ground water management.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance of ABHY</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It targets those who are in need for constant ground water supply especially farmers who have been hard impacted by acute shortage of ground water for past several years.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It involves communities and converges with different water conservation schemes.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its major component seeks to make society responsible and bringlong-term behavioural change to manage groundwater resource efficiently and judiciously.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also seeks to change and improve overall outlook of all stakeholders towards water resource.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background </strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The current status of groundwater is alarming, primarily due over-exploitation and non-uniform ground water development across the country. According to report Ground Water Assessment, 2011, published by Central Ground Water Board out of the total 6584 numbers of assessment units (Block/ Taluks/Mandals), 1034 units have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’. Moreover, 92 units are completely saline.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The number of over-exploited and critical administrative units is significantly higher in states/UTs of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Daman and Diu.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The declining ground water levels have resulted in failure of wells or deepening of extraction structures, leading to additional burden on farmers. Water being State subject, steps for conservation, augmentation and efficient management of water resources to ensure sustainability and availability are primarily undertaken by respective State Governments.</span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Government hikes minimum selling price of sugar',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Food) has increased Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar from Rs.29 to Rs. 31 for the year 2019-20. This decision is aimed at benefiting sugar farmers and in order to clear their arrears/cane dues.<strong> </strong></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">MSP of sugar</span></strong> </span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is rate below which the mills cannot sell sugar in the open market to wholesalers and bulk consumers like biscuit and beverage makers.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is different from fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane. It is the minimum price that sugarcane farmers are legally guaranteed. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FRP is announced by Cabinet Committed on Economic Affairs (CCEA) based on recommdation of on basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Impact of hike in MSP</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide more liquidity to sugar mills, enabling them to pay arrears or dues to the Sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will lead to increased income and savings sugar mills which will then be passed on to Sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Government will put in place mechanism to ensure benefit given to sugar industries/mills by hiking MSP is passed on to sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), arrears of sugarcane farmers stood at around Rs. 20,000 crore as of January 2019-end. In last few years, Union Government has taken several measures to help cash-starved mills clear cane dues. </span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Increase imposition of 100% import duty on sugar.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Scrapping of export duty.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Creation of buffer stock.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Subsidy for mandatory export of 5 million tonnes in 2018-19 marketing year. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Loans at subsidised interest rates to mills for setting up of ethanol capacity. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'title' => 'Cabinet approves National Rural Economic Transformation Project ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Cabinet approved Implementation World Bank funded <strong>National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) </strong>under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). It aims to help rural households shift to new generation of economic initiatives by developing viable enterprises for farm and non-farm products. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to provide higher level interventions to enhance livelihoods promotion, access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihood interventions.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is funded through loan assistance from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), lending arm World Bank.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Projects under it will provide alternate channels of financial inclusion, creating value chains around rural products. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also introduce innovative models in livelihoods promotion and access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihoods interventions.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is poverty alleviation scheme implemented by Union Ministry of Rural Development to promote self-employment and organization of rural poor. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was launched in 2011 as NRLM and was succeeded by Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana in 2016. It is supported by World Bank. It is one of world’s largest initiatives to improve the livelihood of poor.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to create efficient and effective institutional platforms for rural poor to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It helps rural poor to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. It organizes poor into SHGs and make them capable for self-employment.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> It also gives special focus to women empowerment. It has dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Cabinet approves KUSUM scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme to provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy. The scheme aims at adding solar capacities of 25.75 gigawatts (GW) by 2022. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Three Components of scheme</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-A:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> 10,000 MW of Decentralised Ground Mounted Grid Connected Renewable Power Plants</span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, decentralised renewable power plants of capacity 500 KW to 2 MW will be setup by individual farmers, panchayats, cooperatives or farmer producer organisations (FPO) on their lands. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The power generated by these localised plants will be purchased by DISCOMs in tariffs determined by respective State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERC). </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">DISCOMs will be provided with Performance Based Incentives of Rs. 0.40 per unit for 5 years for buying power from these localized plants. This will open a continuous source of income to rural land owners. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-B: Installation of 17.50 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, individual farmers will be supported to install standalone solar pumps of capacity up to 7.5 HP. In this case, Solar PV capacity in kW equal to pump capacity in Horsepower (HP) will be allowed.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-C: Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid-connected Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, individual farmers will be supported to solarise water pumps of capacity up to 7.5 HP. In this case, solar PV capacity up to two times of pump capacity in kW will be allowed. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help farmer to use generated energy to meet irrigation needs and sell excess available energy to DISCOM. This will help to create avenues for extra income to farmers, thus help in doubling farmers income.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Implementation</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-A and Component-C of this scheme will be implemented on pilot mode. Component-B will be implemented in full-fledged manner.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Funding of Component-B and Component-C:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Central financial assistance (CFA) of 30% of benchmark cost or tender cost (whichever is lower) will be provided. State Government will provide subsidy of 30% and farmers will provide remaining 40%. Besides, bank finance may be made available for meeting 30% of farmers cost. In this case, remaining 10% will be provided by the farmer. There will be higher CFA of 50% for North Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of KUSUM Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will have substantial environmental impact in terms of reducing CO2 emissions. All its three components will save about 27 million tonnes of CO2 emission per annum.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its Component-B will result in saving of 1.2 billion liters of diesel per annum and associated savings in foreign exchange due to reduction of import of crude oil.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also have direct employment potential and also increase avenues of self-employment. Overall it will generate employment opportunity equivalent to 6.31 lakh job years for skilled and unskilled workers. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'id' => (int) 313,
'title' => 'Brazil, Australia lodge complaint in WTO over India's sugar subsidies',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Brazil and Australia have lodged formal complaint against India in World Trade Organisation (WTO), alleging that India's continued sugar subsidies to farmers have led to "glut" and "depressed" global prices. Australia was first to lodged this counter-notification with WTO over to India's sugar subsidy practices in November 2018. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Reasons for complaint</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to Brazil and Australia, India's sugar subsidy regime was inconsistent with WTO rules and had helped create glut in global sugar market. It Is hurting sugarcane growers and sugar millers in Australia, Brazil or other countries. It is not consistent with WTO rules and does not provide level playing field.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Sugarcane is grown as Kharif Crop in India. It is water intensive crop and needs hot and humid climate to grow. It can grow in any soil which can retain moisture, but deep rich loamy soil is ideal for its growth. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is world’s second largest sugar producer after Brazil. Currently, UP is India’s foremost sugar producing state followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In international markets, India is considered to be sugar giant due to huge production of sugarcane as well as sugar, largest number of cane farmers, more than 500 sugar mills, largest consumer of sugar and one of the largest sugar exports.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">World Trade Organisation (WTO),</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is inter-governmental organization for governments to negotiate global trade agreements and progressively liberalizing trade.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was established on 1 January 1995 and its official languages are English, French and Spanish. Its located in Geneva, Switzerland.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It operates system of trade rules that apply to all its members. It also has trade dispute resolution mechanism for its members to settle their trade disputes. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'id' => (int) 308,
'title' => 'Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Jl-VAN Yojana',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana. It has been launched as tool to create Second Generation (2G) Ethanol capacity in the country and attract investments in this new sector.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Objectives</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Incentivise 2G ethanol sector and support this nascent industry by creating a suitable ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and increasing R&D in this area.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Supplement targets envisaged by Central Government under Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features of Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, 12 Commercial Scale and 10 demonstration scale 2G ethanol Projects will be provided a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support in two phases:</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase-I (2018-19 to 2022-23):</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Six commercial projects and five demonstration projects will be supported.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase-II (2020-21 to 2023-24):</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Six commercial projects and five demonstration projects will be supported.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Implementation</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be implemented by Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG) with total financial outlay of Rs.1969.50 crore for period from 2019 to 2024.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Projects under it will reviewed by Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of MoP&NG and then will be recommended to Steering Committee of MoP&NG under chairmanship of Secretary, MoP&NG for final approval. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Ethanol produced by scheme beneficiaries will be mandatorily supplied to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to enhance blending percentage under EBP Programme.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Help Central Government to meet vision of reducing import dependence by way of substituting fossil fuels with biofuels.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Help to achieve Green House Gases (CHGs) emissions reduction targets through progressive blending/ substitution of fossil fuels.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Address environment concerns caused due to burning of biomass/crop residues and improve health of citizens.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Improve farmer income by providing them remunerative income for their otherwise waste agriculture residues.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Create rural and urban employment opportunities in 2G Ethanol projects and Biomass supply chain.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Contribute to Swacch Bharat Mission by supporting aggregation of non­food biofuel feedstocks such as waste biomass and urban waste.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indigenize 2G Biomass to Ethanol technologies.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Government had launched EBP programme in 2003 for undertaking blending of ethanol in Petrol to address environmental concerns due to fossil fuel burning, provide remuneration to farmers, subsidize crude imports and achieve forex savings. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, OMCs are allowed to blend upto 10% of ethanol in Petrol. Presently, EBP is being run in 21 States and 4 UTs of the country. Petroleum Ministry has set target to achieve 10% blending percentage of Ethanol in petrol by 2022.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The National Policy on Biofuel 2018 allows procurement of ethanol produced from molasses and non-food feed stock like celluloses and lignocelluloses material including petrochemical route.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 336,
'title' => 'Rice Knowledge Bank–Assam launched under APART project',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Agriculture web portal Rice Knowledge Bank-Assam was launched recently as part of World Bank funded project- Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART). It is dedicated for enhancing knowledge on rice production techniques and technologies, best production practices and state agriculture facts.<strong> </strong></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Assam Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB-Assam)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has been developed by Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society (ARIAS), Assam Agricultural University (AAU) with technical assistance from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to bridge gap between research and on-field rice production practices. It will serve as digital extension service providing practical knowledge solutions, especially for small-scale farmers in Assam.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will showcase rice production techniques, agricultural technologies and best farming practices based on pool of knowledge from research findings, learning and media resources from AAU and IRRI.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will play key role to ensure transfer to knowledge on rice production techniques and technologies and best production practices to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will empower farmers with better decision-making, reducing yield gaps and leading to increase in farmer incomes and improved sustainability.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to address challenges for agricultural development by supporting fast and effective transfer of technologies and knowledge from research laboratory to farmer's fields.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Government to launch Gram Samridhi Yojana',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries will soon launch Gram Samridhi Yojana to bolster unorganised food processing sector concentrated in rural areas. The scheme has outlay of Rs 3,000 crore and will be funded by World Bank and Centre. It has been approved by NITI Aayog and now it waiting for clearance of Expenditure Finance Committee, Ministry of Finance.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Gram Samridhi Yojana</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims at development of modern infrastructure to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units, upgrade technology in existing unit, improve management of units and give technical support. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Intendent Beneficiaries:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Cottage industry, farmer producers’ organisation and individual food processors. They will process local produce, package and market it.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Under it, common facility centres and business incubators in rural areas will be set up. The incubator will provide infrastructure and services to support growth of new food businesses. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide equipment and programs to help businessmen or entrepreneur launch new product through development, market launch and growth in sales.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide subsidy to them (max Rs 10 lakh per unit) apart from interest subsidy, if they avail of loans.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be implemented at cluster level where food processing units or individual players can apply for the subsidy online.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Funding: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">World Bank will provide Rs 1,500 crore while Rs 1,000 crore will be borne by Centre while state governments will provide reaming Rs 500 crore.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase implementation:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> In the initial phase, it will be launched in four states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab for five-year period and thereafter replicated in other states.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help cottage industry, farmer producers’ organisations and individual food processors to increase capacity, upgrade technology besides skill improvement, entrepreneurship development and strengthening farm-tomarket supply chain.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to achieve Government’s set goal of doubling of farmers’ income and employment opportunities in rural areas.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About 66% of unorganised food processing units are in rural areas and of these, 80% are family run.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has launched Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme to cater needs and aspirations of the youth. It is youth-friendly scheme aimed at attracting youth to cooperative business ventures.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims at encouraging cooperatives to venture into new and innovative areas and meet the needs of youth.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is linked to Rs 1000 crore ‘Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF)’ created by NCDC. All types of cooperatives in operation for at least 1 year are eligible to avail its benefits.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It envisages 2% less than applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project cost up to Rs 3 crore including 2 years moratorium on payment of principal. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It provides more incentives for cooperatives of North Eastern region (NER), Aspirational Districts and cooperatives with women or SC/ST or Persons with Disabilities (PwD) members.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The funding for project under it up to 80% of total project cost for these special categories against 70% for other states.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is unique and sole statutory organisation functioning as apex financial and developmental institution exclusively for cooperative sector. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is ISO 9001:2015 compliant organization. It has distinctive edge of competitive financing. It supports cooperatives in diverse fields apart from agriculture and allied sectors. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It functions under Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. It has many regional centres to provide financial assistance to Cooperatives, Societies and federations.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'title' => 'World Bank to fund National Rural Economic Transformation Project',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Government has inked US $250-million loan agreement with World Bank for funding National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). This loan will be from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with final maturity of 20 years and 5-year grace period</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is new sub-component under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) implemented by Ministry of Rural Development. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to help rural households shift to new generation of economic initiatives by developing viable enterprises for farm and non-farm products.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It supports enterprise development programmes for rural poor women and youth by creating platform to access finance including start-up financing options to build their individual and collectively owned and managed enterprises. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also involves developing financial products using digital financial services to help small producer collectives to scale-up and engage actively with the market. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also supports youth skills development, in coordination with Ministry of Skill’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its key focus of is to promote women-owned and women-led farm and non-farm enterprises across value chains. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It seeks to enable them to build businesses that help them access finance, markets and networks; and generate employment. </span></span></span></li>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'title' => 'Transport and Marketing Assistance Scheme for Agriculture Products launched ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Commerce has launched Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) Scheme for Specified Agriculture Products. It aims providing financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products for boosting export of farm commodities to certain countries in Europe and North America. This scheme will be included in Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20).</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">TMA Scheme for Specified Agriculture Product</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Objectives: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">(i) Provide assistance for international component of transportation of agricultural produce to mitigate disadvantage of higher cost of exporting agriculture products. (ii) Promote brand recognition for Indian agricultural products in the specified overseas markets.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Coverage: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will cover all exporters who are registered with relevant Export Promotion Council as per Foreign Trade Policy. It covers freight and marketing assistance for agricultural export by air as well as by sea (both normal and refrigerated cargo).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Under it, financial assistance will be provided to exporters of eligible agriculture products to permissible countries as specified from time to time.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For export of products by sea:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> TMA will be based on freight paid for a full Twenty-feet Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For export of products by air: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">TMA will be based on per ton freight charges on the net weight of the export cargo, calculated on the full ton basis.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Government will reimburse certain portion of freight charges and provide assistance for marketing of agricultural produce.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Level of financial assistance will be different for different regions and will be admissible for exports made through EDI (electronic data interchange) ports only.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The assistance will be admissible only if payments for exports are received in free foreign exchange through normal banking channels.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Assistance under it will be provided in cash through direct bank transfer as part reimbursement of freight paid. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FOB (freight on board) supplies where no freight is paid by Indian exporters are not covered under it.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Products which will not avail these benefits under it sugarcane or beet sugar and raw sugar, molasses, resins, gums, butter and other fats, milk and cream, live animals meat, beverages, spirits and vinegar and tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'id' => (int) 492,
'title' => 'GI tag accorded to five coffee varieties',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chennai based Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Coorg Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Geographical Indication tag is sign used on products that have specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation by virtue of their geographical association. It conveys assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to geographical origin of product. Owner of GI tag has exclusive rights over the product.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Coorg Arabica Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown specifically in Kodagu district in Karnataka. Its cultivation is integral part of lives of the people of Kodagu district and forms backbone of the local economy.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Kodagu district has unique biotic and abiotic conditions that provides uniqueness to Coffee grown in it. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The regions broader landscape terrain provides it unique aroma and flavour to the coffee when roasted.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Wayanad Robusta Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Coffee based farming system is notable feature of Wayanad in Kerala. Coffee is grown both as mixed crop along with pepper and as only pure crop.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Wayanad produces almost around 90% of Kerala’s Coffee produce and robusta coffee accounts for more than 95 percent of the total coffee cultivation.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Kerala’s coffee economy is highly correlated with coffee economy existing in Wayanad. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Both are grown in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka, which is also known as birthplace of coffee in the country.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total planted area of Arabica coffee in Chikmagalur region of Karnataka in the year 2016-17 was 17699 hectares. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee is grown specifically region is situated in central portion of Chikmagalur district.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown in higher elevation area Arabica and is known for its unique flavour and aroma. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is selectively hand</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math","serif"">-</span><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">picked and processes by natural fermentation. It exhibits mild flavor, full body, acidity and striking aroma with note of chocolate.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Araku Valley Arabica Coffee </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown around Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput district in Odisha.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is light to medium in strength and has pleasant acidity with citrus note of grape fruit and mild jiggery - like sweetness.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Guatemala files complaint over India’s sugar subsidies at WTO',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala has initiated new dispute complaint against India over sugar subsidies provided to farmers at World Trade Organization (WTO), alleging that it is inconsistent with global trade rules. Brazil and Australia also have lodged their separate complaints at WTO on this matter. All these countries have alleged that continued sugar subsidies to farmers by India, world's second-largest sugar producer has led to "glut" and "depressed" global sugar prices. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala’s complaint</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala has sought consultations with India under rules and procedures governing settlement of disputes of WTO with respect to domestic support measures maintained by India in favour of producers of sugarcane and sugar, and export subsidies for sugarcane and sugar.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It claims that domestic support measures are inconsistent with India’s obligations under WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It also claims that export subsidies are inconsistent with India’s obligations under the AoA and Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement).</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India’s response</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has defended its position at WTO in informal discussions by explaining that most of its subsidies to sugar producers were in form of production subsidies that was permissible under the WTO. Besides, subsidies to exporters given for exports was for marketing and transportation purposes which, too are permitted by the WTO,</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Consultations Mechanism</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Seeking consultation is first step of dispute settlement process in WTO. If the two nations are not able to reach mutually agreed solution through consultation, either country may request for WTO dispute settlement panel to review the matter. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this dispute settlement mechanism, India now has to hold separate consultations with Australia, Brazil and Guatemala to listen to their concerns and explain its position. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">EU, Thailand and Costa Rica also have expressed their interest in participating in the consultations requested by Australia and Brazil with India as they were interested parties.</span></span></span></p>
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Coffee Board in collaboration with Eka Plus has launched blockchain based coffee e-marketplace on pilot project basis. It will help to integrate farmers with markets in transparent manner and better fair price realisation for their coffee produce. Eka Plus is one of global leaders in digital commodity management platforms. Such blockchain based coffee e-marketplace platforms already have been launched in France and Ethopia.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Blockchain based coffee e-marketplace</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Stakeholder in coffee sector like coffee farmers, traders, exporters, coffee curers, rosters, importers and retailers need to register on this platform to make trade transactions. The credentials of coffee farmer such as place of coffee where it is grown, details of crops, certificates, elevation and other relevant information will be added on this platform. For each of lot the farmer sells on this blockchain platform, a unique block will be created for it. The credentials of each block will be stored on it throughout its journey.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to maintain traceability of Indian coffee from bean to cup. It will create brand image for Indian Coffee. It will reduce grower’s dependency on intermediaries by providing direct access to buyers. This ensure grower is paid fair price for his coffee produced.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to reduce number of layers between coffee growers and buyers. It will help in finding right coffee suppliers for exporters and within stipulated time to meet growing demand. It will also help farmers to double their income. It will also bring transparency among coffee farmers and buyers.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Odisha’s Kandhamal Haldi accorded GI tag',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Kandhamal Haldi, a variety of indigenous turmeric grown only in southern Odisha, has received Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India. It has been placed under Class-30 type </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">trademark/GI for grains and agricultural, horticultural, and forestry products.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Kandhamal Haldi</span></span></span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This unique variety of turmeric is grown in Odisha's southern hinterland. It is key cash crop of tribal people from Kandhamal district of Odisha. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has multifaceted utility in food, medicine and cosmetics considering its unique aroma and color to food items and various cuisines.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has more oleo resin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties. This gives it strong aroma and has high medicinal value and healing properties.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Geographical Indication (GI)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is name or sign used on products which corresponds to specific geographical location or origin (can be town, region or country).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It acts as authenticity certification that product possesses certain qualities and is made according to traditional methods and enjoys certain reputation due to its geographical origin.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is accorded to natural, agricultural and manufactured goods (commodity) having special quality and established reputation.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is covered as element of <em>intellectual property rights (IPRs) under Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property.</em></span> </span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In India, GI recognition is valid for 10 years after which it needs to be renewed. It is governed and regulated Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act), 1999. This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (under Ministry of Commerce), who is also Registrar of GI.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits of GI</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It gives GI accorded products complete exclusivity, ensuring that no one can use their name. It plays very important role to increase realm of market for the original product. It also indirectly leads to sustainable development, boosts exports as well tourism. It enables stakeholders to authenticate their production while earning premium and derive improved livelihood. Its violation is punishable offence under law.</span></span></span></p>
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister has approved extension of duration of New Urea Policy-2015 from April 1, 2019 till further orders. The extension of policy will facilitate in continuation of operations of urea plants and ensure regular supply of urea to the farmers.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The comprehensive New Urea Policy-2015 was approved in 2015 for period of four financial years (till 2019). The policy is aimed at maximising indigenous urea production to reduce import dependency and to reduce subsidy burden on the government. It also aimed at promoting energy efficiency in urea units to reduce Carbon-footprint to make Urea production environment friendly. India had imported around 59.75 lakh tonnes of urea in 2017-18 fiscal year to meet domestic demand. Besides, annual domestic production of urea is around 250 lakh tonnes.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Government extends ban on import of milk products from China',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China till laboratories at ports are upgraded for testing presence of toxic chemical melamine. The extension of ban was recommended by Food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical. However, FSSAI has not mentioned any timeline for upgradation of that capacity of all laboratories.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and was subsequently extended from time to time. The latest ban imposed by government ended 23 April 2019. The ban was imposed on apprehensions of presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China. Melamine is toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers. Although India does not import milk, milk products from China, the ban was imposed as a preventive measure.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India’s Milk Production</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is world's largest producer and consumer of milk. It produces around 150 million tonne milk annually. Uttar Pradesh is leading state in milk production followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Honey Mission: KVIC distributes more than one lakh bee-boxes',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has distributed more than one lakh bee-boxes among farmers and unemployed youths across the country in less than two years under its 'Honey Mission' initiative. So far, it has distributed 1,01,000 bee-boxes, which had happened for the first time in India. This has resulted in creation of more than 10,000 new jobs and around 25,000 additional man days through fabrication of bee boxes and honey extractors.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Honey Mission</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in August 2017 in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Sweet Revolution' in 2016.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, KVIC provide loans for setting up units of processing, packaging and labelling units for the honey. It also provides beekeepers practical training about examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apicultural equipments, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification, and management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objectives of Mission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) create an end-to-end implementation framework for beekeeping skill development, which provides employment opportunities and income generation to agriculturists, beekeepers, and rural and urban unemployed youths</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(ii) Enforce nationally acceptable standards of good beekeeping practices in the country.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(ii) Offer a passage for overseas market for hive products</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(iv) Tap local and rural natural resources for generation of income and employment to rural and tribal people in selected pockets.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(v) Promote beekeeping for increasing the crop productivity and pollination services avenue for beekeepers and farmers.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mission’s Success claim</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: So far, it has helped to extract 246 metric tonnes of honey. Besides, it has helped farmers to increase yield by up to 30</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> after implementation of this mission.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Record:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> KVIC in May 2018 had created world record by giving away 1,000 bee boxes to Mishing tribe dwelling in the forests of Kaziranga, Assam. It had broke previous record of distributing 841 boxes, achieved by Israel in 2016.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Cabinet clears scheme for controlling foot & mouth diseases of animals',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Cabinet has approved proposal to bear the entire cost of Rs 13,343 crore under existing scheme that seeks to control livestock diseases, especially foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis common amongst livestock, in the next five years. This decision will benefit crores of farmers and improve the health of animals.</span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The scheme so far was implemented on cost-sharing basis between Central and State governments. Now, Central government has decided to bear entire cost of the programme</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In case of FMD: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The scheme envisages vaccination coverage to 30 crore bovines (cows-bulls and buffaloes) and 20 crore sheep/goat and 1 crore pigs at six months’ interval along with primary vaccination in bovine calves.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Incase Brucellosis control programme:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will be extended to cover 100</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">vaccination coverage of 3.6 crore female calves.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Threats of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">These diseases are very common amongst livestock – buffaloes, cow-bulls, sheep, goats, pigs etc. If a cow/buffalo gets infected with FMD, milk loss is upto 100</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> which could last for four to six months. In case of Brucellosism the milk output reduces by 30</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">, during the entire life cycle of animal. Besides, Brucellosis also causes infertility amongst animals. The infection of brucellosis can also be transmitted to farm workers and livestock owners.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'PM-KISAN Scheme extended to all farmers',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Union Cabinet has approved to comprehensively extend ambit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana to all farmers across the country irrespective of landing holding limit. With this decision, all land holding eligible farmer families (subject to the prevalent exclusion criteria) will avail of the benefits under this scheme. This scheme was launched to assured farm support to estimated 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers holding land up to 2 hectares. Now, the revised scheme envisages to cover around 2 crore more farmers increasing its coverage to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries. This is expected cost Government around Rs 87,000 crore a year, up from earlier entailed annual expenditure of Rs.75,000 crore.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is farm support scheme announced interim Budget for the year 2019-2020. It aimed at addressing farm sector in crisis by providing an assured income support to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Intended Beneficiaries:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Vulnerable landholding farmers having cultivable land upto 2 hectares (now expanded to all farmers). It is expected to benefit around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families. It will enable farmers to earn and live respectable living.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will provide vulnerable landholding farmers direct income support of Rs. 6000 per year. This income support will be transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in three 4-monthly equal instalments of Rs. 2,000 each over the year through Direct Benefit Transfer mode.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is entirely funded by Central Government. </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'title' => 'Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana, a new Central Sector Scheme, to provide pension cover to farmers. </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Salient features</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Beneficiary:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is a voluntary and contributory pension (social security) scheme for all Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) across the country. Beneficiary will be provided minimum fixed pension of Rs.3,000 on attaining the age of 60 years. SMF can avail benefits of this scheme at entry age of 18 to 40 years.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Contributions:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Beneficiary farmer is required to contribute Rs 100 per month at median entry age of 29 years. Central Government shall also contribute to Pension Fund an equal amount as contributed by the eligible farmer.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">SMF can opt to allow his/her monthly contribution to this scheme to be made from the benefits drawn from the PM-KISAN Scheme directly.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Alternatively,SMF can pay his monthly contribution by registering through Common Service Centres (CSCs) under Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transferability:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> After subscriber’s death spouse of SMF beneficiary shall be entitled to receive 50</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> of pension received by beneficiary as family pension, provided he/she is not beneficiary of this scheme.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This is for first time since independence that such pension coverage has been envisioned for farmers. It is estimated to benefit around 5 crore small and marginal farmers within first three years of implementation. This scheme, in addition to PM-KISAN monetary support will ease economic burden on small and medium farmers and lead to greater efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Government allocates funds for establishment of Gokul Grams',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has sanctioned funds under RashtriyaGokul Mission for setting up of 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres. So far four Gokul grams (Varanasi, Mathura, Patiala and Phora) have been completed and work is under progress in remaining 17 gokul grams. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About RashtriyaGokul Mission</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It aims at conserving and developing indigenous breeds in focused and scientific manner and e</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">nhance the productivity of the indigenous </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">breeds of India through professional farm management. It comprises of two components namely National Programme for Bovine Breeding (NPBB) and National Mission on Bovine Productivity (NMBP).</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objectives of Misssion:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) Develope and conserve indigenous breeds (ii) Undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds for improving genetic makeup and increase stock. (iii) Enhance milk production and productivity. (iv) Upgrade nondescript cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi, Deoni, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar,(v) Distribute disease free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Implementation:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is implemented through State Implementing Agency (SIA viz Livestock Development Boards). State Gauseva Ayogs are mandated to sponsor proposals to SIA’s (LDB’s) and monitor implementation of sponsored proposal. Besides, all Agencies having role in indigenous cattle development are “Participating Agencies” like CCBFs, CFSPTI, ICAR, Universities, Colleges, NGO’s, Cooperative Societies and Gaushalas with best germplasm.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Gokul Gram</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres for breeding tracts of indigenous breeds. Gokul Grams is established (i) native breeding tracts and (ii) near metropolitan cities for housing the urban cattle. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It act as Centres for development of Indigenous Breeds and a dependable source for supply of high genetic breeding stock to the farmers in the breeding tract. It also functions as state of the art in situ training centre for Farmers, Breeders and MAITRI’s. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It seeks to be self sustaining and generate economic resources from sale of A2 milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates, and production of electricity from bio gas for in house consumption and sale of animal products. </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => '1st India International Cooperatives Trade Fair held in New Delhi',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 11 July to 13 October 2019. It is aligned with Agriculture Export Policy 2018, which aims at doubling agriculture export and integrating Indian farmers and agriculture products with global value chains.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It aims at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity. It will see participation of Indian and International Cooperative Organisation.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will be organized by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) with support of one international organization (NEDAC), three ministries, four state governments and several apex levels Indian cooperative organizations.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The fair will provide immense opportunity for industry and business houses from India and abroad to build alliances, business networking, product sourcing and above all, interacting with the primary producers of a wide range of products and service providers.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will serve as major platform to promote exports by cooperatives so that direct benefits to farmers, artisans, women, and people coming from SC/ST communities can be ensured.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'id' => (int) 1641,
'title' => 'CCEA hikes MSP of all Kharif Crops',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minster has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all kharif crops for 2019-20 Season. The decision will lead to increased investment and production through assured remunerative prices to the farmers. The increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for 2019-20 season is in line with principle of fixing MSPs at a level of atleast 1.5 times of all India weighted average Cost of production, which was announced in the last budget 2018-19. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Increased MSP of Crops:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> For paddy it has been increased by Rs.65 per quintal, Jowar by Rs. 120, Ragi by Rs.253, Tur by Rs. 125, Moong by Rs. 75, Urad pulses by Rs.100, Soyabean by Rs. 311, sunflower by Rs. 262 and sesamum by Rs. 236. The highest percentage return to farmers over their cost of production is for Bajra (85%) followed by urad (64%) and tur (60%). </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Minimum Support Price (MSP) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is form of agricultural market intervention undertaken by Union Government in order to insure agricultural producers from any sharp fall in farm prices. It is announced for certain crops by Government prior to sowing season. The prices are decided by CCEA on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance of MSP mechanism:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is implemented across country as nearly 86% farmers are in small and marginal category (Agriculture Census 2015-16) and ensures equity. It also helps in stabilising prices in the market and thus services the consumers as well. It also incentivize cultivators to adopt modern technology and raise productivity and overall production in line with the emerging demand patterns in the country.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Haryana Government launches Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Haryana government has launched ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal to enable farmers to report their land and crop details. The online portal will also help them receive the benefits of several government schemes directly. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It brings together departments of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, revenue, food civil supplies and consumer affairs and science and technology on single platform for betterment of the farmers. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It mandates farmers from the state to upload details about crops sown in their field on the portal at nearby Common Service Centres (CSCs) or Atal Seva Kendras or with the help of VLEs by end of July. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also mandates farmers to fill the details about the non-cultivated land in case he has not sown any crop yet. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Financial incentive</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: Farmers on registering themselves on this portal will be provided with incentive of Rs 10 per acre or part thereof, subject to minimum of Rs. 20 to maximum Rs 50. This amount will be directly deposited in farmer’s bank accounts. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits of portal:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will make the distribution of seeds, fertilizers and farm loans more transparent and easy. It will enable farmers to avail the subsidy on agriculture implements easily. It will also make damage assessment during natural calamities and disbursal of relief in cases of crop damage easier. It will also provide information related to sowing, harvesting season and mandi on real time basis.</span></span></span></span></li>
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(int) 27 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'id' => (int) 1698,
'title' => 'Phase-II of DBT of Fertilizer Subsidy launched',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched Phase-II of the Direct Benefit Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy (DBT 2.0). As part of second phase, three new technology initiatives have been launched which are aimed at further improving the DBT system </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">New initiatives of DBT 2.0 are as under:</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">DBT Dashboards: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">These dashboards provide various reports regarding Fertilizer Stock position at ports, plants, in States, at District levels. It will facilitate real-time monitoring of the availability and sale of fertilizers within each State/UT. It will also facilitate accurate information gathering and decision-making w.r.t. position of requirement/supply/availability of various fertilizers at National, State and District levels,</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">PoS 3.0 Software:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is multi-lingual facility would provide Aadhar virtual ID option for registration, login and sale activity in DBT software. It also has provision for area-specific, crop-specific recommendations based on Soil Health Card (SHC) data. It will capture sale to farmers, mixture manufacturers, planter association separately.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Desktop PoS Version:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is multilingual desktop version of PoS software that will serve as an alternative or added facility to PoS devices. Retailers with laptops and computer systems can use high-speed broadband service for fertilizer sales. It is also more robust and secure. It is developed and handled directly from the central HQ team at DoF.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Department of Fertilizers (DoF) has implemented Phase-I of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system in fertilizer (DBT 1.0) from March 2018. It is aimed at ease of living in the lives of farmers through use of modern technology and plugging leakages, pilferages and black marketing. It is envisaged release of 100% subsidy on various fertilizer grades to fertilizer companies on basis of actual sales made by retailer to beneficiaries. Project Monitoring Cell was set up at DoF to oversee implementation of DBT exclusively. Central Government bears over Rs 70,000 crore annually as fertiliser subsidy to give cheaper farm nutrient to farmers. </span></span></span></span></p>
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(int) 28 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 1706,
'title' => 'Agri-Business Incubation Centre launched in Chhattisgarh',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Agri Business Incubation Centre at Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It has been set up under National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chhattisgarh</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will focus on innovations, skill building and entrepreneurs development in agriculture and allied sectors. It will also act as catalyst for developing an ecosystem conducive for growth of agripreneurship in the state and foster a “start-up” culture.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Its full form is Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">To make farming remunerative economic activity through strengthening farmer’s efforts, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. To empower youth through skill development, innovation and agrientrepreneurship based business models</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It provides states with considerable flexibility and autonomy for planning and executing programs. State Agriculture Departments act as Nodal Implementing Agency. It will incentivize states to increase allocations for agriculture and allied sectors and help in creation of post-harvest infrastructure and promotion of private investment in farm sector across the country.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is provided to States as 60:40 grants between Centre and States (90:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Sub-schemes under RKVY-RAFTAAR:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India. (ii) Crop Diversification Program (iii) Reclamation of Problem Soil. (iv) Foot & Mouth Disease Control Program (FMD-CP). (v) Saffron Mission and (vi) Accelerated Fodder Development Programme (AFDP). </span></span></span></span></li>
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(int) 29 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
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'title' => 'CCEA approves creation of 40 lakh metric tonne sugar buffer stock',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar for one year. This decision is aimed to help stabilise sugar prices and assist sugar mill owners in clearing dues of cane farmers. It will cost the exchequer Rs 1,674 crore. Last year, Central Government had created 30 LMT buffer stock of sugar for a one-year period from July 1, 2018.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The decisions will lead to improvement in the liquidity of sugar mills, reduction in sugar inventores, stabilization in sugar prices by alleviating of price sentiments in domestic sugar market and thereby facilitate timely clearance of cane price dues of farmers and benefit sugar mills in all sugarcane producing States by clearing sugarcane price arrears of sugar mills</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> <strong>Background</strong></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Series of bumper sugarcane harvests over past few years (season 2017-18, 2018-19), combined with higher rates of sugar recovery from sugar cane has resulted in glut in production ovrrshooting domestic demand. It has led to crash in retail prices. At the same time, Central Government has been regularly increasing Fair and Remunerative Price. As a result, payment arrears to farmers from sugar mills had shot up to Rs.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">25,000 crore earlier this year, and are still above the Rs.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">15,000 crore mark.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> In the wake of glut in sugar production and over-leveraged position in the industry and liquidity crunch, Government has taken series of interventions from time to time to improve liquidity of the sugar mills enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers and also to stabilize sugar prices in the domestic market. Buffer subsidy scheme is one such measure, where government creates buffer stock of sugar for one.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 1781,
'title' => 'CCEA approves FRP for sugarcane for 2019-20 season',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved determination of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar mills for 2019-20 sugar season. It is based on recommendation of Commission of Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) as per its report of August 2018 on price policy for sugarcane for the 2019-20 season. CACP has recommended the same price for 2019-20 sugar season as it was for the sugar season 2018-19. It will ensure a guaranteed price to cane growers. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is the minimum price that sugar mills have to pay to sugarcane farmers. It assures margins to farmers, irrespective of whether sugar mills generate a profit or not. It is fixed by Central government on basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and after consultation with State Governments and other stake-holders. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is determined under Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966. It is arrived by taking into account various factors such as cost of production, inter-crop price parity, overall demand-supply situation,domestic and international prices, terms of trade prices of primary by-products and its impact on general price level and resource use efficiency.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 2158,
'title' => 'Zero Budget Natural Farming',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s premier academic body of agricultural scientists has critisised Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), terming it as an “unproven” technology bringing no incremental value gain to either farmers or consumers.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This issue comes into limelight as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 14th Conference of Parties to the <strong>UN Convention to Combat Desertification</strong> mentioned that India is focusing on ZBNF as an alternative farming mechanism.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details of ZBNF</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ZBNF’s basic concept is that over 98 per cent of the nutrients required by crops for photosynthesis ,carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water and solar energy are already supplied free from the air, rains and sun.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Only the remaining 1.5-2 per cent nutrients need to be taken from the soil and converted from “non-available” to “available” form (for intake by the roots) through the action of microorganisms.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers must apply ‘<strong>Jiwamrita</strong>’ (microbial culture) and ‘<strong>Bijamrita</strong>’ (seed treatment solution), besides ‘<strong>Mulching</strong>’ (covering plants with a layer of dried straw or fallen leaves) and ‘<strong>Waaphasa</strong>’ (giving water outside the plant’s canopy) to maintain the right soil temperature-moisture-air balance and enable the microorganisms do their jobs.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">For insect and pest management, ZBNF recommends use of ‘<strong>Agniastra</strong>’, ‘<strong>Brahmastra</strong>’ and ‘<strong>Neemastra</strong>’, which, like ‘Jiwamrita’ and ‘Bijamrita’, are mixtures based mainly on urine and dung from desi cows.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Since these also do not have to be purchased, it makes farming practically “zero-budget”.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Drawbacks of technology</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Plant growth and crop yields require nitrogen, which is a major component of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Being non-reactive, atmospheric nitrogen has to be fixed into a plant-usable form such as ammonia or urea.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This technique does not mention the method to supplement for nitogen, which has to be applied externally through fertilisers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There has not been widespread trials, which can throw light on its overall impact.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 32 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 2169,
'title' => 'National animal disease control program',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Animal Disease Control programme as well as the National Artificial Insemination Programme in Mathura.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Animal rearing is a very profitable profession in rural economies. But susception to diseases to animals can cause losses. To prevent infection in animals, programs such as this has been undertaken.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">the programme aims at vaccinating over 500 Million Livestock against the Foot and Mouth Disease. It is being funded entirely by the central government ith a budget of Rs 12,652 crores for a period of 5 years.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The programme also aims at vaccinating 36 Million Female Bovine Calves annually in its fight against the Bruce-llosis disease.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Programme has two components ,to control the diseases by 2025 and their eradication by 2030.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The launch of the National Animal Disease Control Programme will take the country into a mission mode to save and nurture livestock, Indian farmers most valuable source of additional income.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This step is in line with government’s aim of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. The supplementary income to be generated will be through livestock rearing.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 33 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 2593,
'title' => 'PM KISAN scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said that government should extend its PM KISAN scheme to landless rural labourers along with the already existing land owning marginal and small farmers.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The PM KISAN scheme was introduced in the last budget, when the agricultural sector was undergoing enormous stress due to failure of agricultural economy owing to climatic factors as well as reducing demands for produce.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is an initiative by the government of India in which all small and marginal farmers will get up to ?6,000 per year as minimum income support. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The 6,000 per year amount will be paid to each eligible farmer in three instalments and will be deposited directly to their bank accounts.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Eligibility</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the database, the land owner's name, gender.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Social Classification (Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Tribes).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Aadhaar number, bank account number and mobile number etc.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Imitation of agricultural land Khatauni imitation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Jan Dhan Bank Account Number, Aadhaar and Mobile Number will help in identifying eligible beneficiaries and incompetent claimants.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scheme is sponsored by the Central Government. Therefore, the farmers have to be citizens of the country.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Drawbacks</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While PM-KISAN aims to cover small and marginal farmers (85% of farmer population), landless agricultural labourers and tenant farmers are left in the lurch.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The situation in the north-eastern States, as land ownership rights in the region are community-based, making it difficult to identify beneficiaries.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of proper maintaining database for land records.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It would provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, particularly before the harvest season.</span></span></p>
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(int) 34 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 2882,
'title' => 'Pesticides exposure among tea workers can affect DNA',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Reports published by a research team points out that chronic exposure to the mixture of pesticides has led to changes in the DNA and also decreased certain enzyme activity of tea garden workers.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The team used a special study called comet assay which helps assess DNA damage and found that individuals exposed to pesticides had significantly higher value of certain parameters which suggest damage compared to control subjects.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Detailed analysis showed that the estate workers both men and women, irrespective of whether they smoked or consumed alcohol, showed decrease in enzyme activity, especially enzymes AChE and BuChE.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">AChE is known to be target of most organophosphates. AChE terminates synaptic (neuron to neuron) transmission, preventing continuous nerve firings at nerve endings. Organophosphorous pesticides bind to this site and inactivate the enzymes.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the long run, these may even cause other neurological complications. Some studies have pointed out that herbicide and fungicide exposure is associated with Parkinson’s disease too.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The research shows that the damage might be the due to single strand DNA breaks, or any disorder of the DNA or DNA-DNA or DNA-protein cross-links. This damage was found to be independent of sex, age, or duration of exposure.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The researchers note that the workers were not wearing any protective gear such as masks, gloves and boots.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The men who were mostly sprayers inhaled and also contacted the pesticide through their skin. The female workers also came into direct skin contact and has residues on their clothes.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The team also warns of second-hand contact where the family can also be exposed if the workers don’t clean up properly before going home.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Tea growing regions</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
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(int) 35 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 2985,
'title' => 'Government procures only 3% of targeted pulses under PM-AASHA scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Less than 3% of this season’s sanctioned amount of pulses and oilseeds have been procured so far under the PM-AASHA scheme, according to data from Agricultural ministry.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 37.59 lakh metric tonnes of procurement had been sanctioned under the Centrally funded scheme. However, only 1.08 lakh tonnes have been procured so far.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The PM-AASHA or Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan, was announced as an effort to ensure that farmers growing pulses, oilseeds and copra actually get the minimum support prices they are promised for their crops each year.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from initiatives to allow cash payment to farmers or procurement by private traders, PM-AASHA’s main feature was a price support scheme whereby Central agencies would procure pulses and oilseeds directly from farmers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre had budgeted 15,053 crore over two years to implement the scheme apart from an additional government credit guarantee of 16,550 crore for agencies undertaking procurement.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The main crops covered under the scheme this season are moong, urad, arhar, groundnut and soyabean. The late arrival of the monsoon means that harvests and crop arrivals also began slightly later than expected.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The highest procurement so far has taken place in Rajasthan, where more than 51,000 tonnes of moong and groundnut have been procured, against a total sanctioned amount of 9.6 lakh tonnes.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>PM- AASHA scheme</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is aimed towards ensuring remunerative prices to farmers for their produce.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The three components outlined under the scheme is thus aimed towards enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing cost of cultivation which will enable boosting and securing farmer’s income in the long run.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Price Support Scheme (PSS)</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of PM AASHA</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Price Support Scheme (PSS) promises to provide assured price for farmers and protect them from making distress sale during bumper harvest. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scheme proposes to strengthen physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">State governments will be entrusted with the responsibility of deciding the type and quantity of the crop to be procured when wholesale prices fall below MSP.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When markets have failed miserably to pull out farmers from the perpetual indebtedness over the years, the launch of PM-AASHA can be seen as the dawn of new market architecture.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 36 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 3721,
'title' => 'Pesticide free Kinnow crop',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Punjab Agri Export Corporation recently launched the ‘Punjab Kinnow’ brand at the kinnow festival in Abohar. This brand of kinnow, which is considered the ‘king fruit’ of Punjab, is also said to be “pesticide-free”.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the kinnow is a year-long crop, often attacked by pests including mites at various stages, requiring several sprays of insecticide.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Branding the crop has been done along the lines of the region-specific branding of several other fruits like the ‘Nagpur orange’ (which even has a GI tag) and ‘Australian kiwi’. Punjab being the largest producer of kinnow in the country, such branding will attract more consumers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s kinnow has several nutritive values including limonin, which helps control cholesterol level and has anti-<a href="https://indianexpress.com/about/cancer/">cancer</a> properties, which the consumer should be informed.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pest attacks and diseases</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Over a dozen types of insects and pests attack the kinnow plant’s leaves, stem and fruit through the year.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Psylla</strong> attacks the crop almost throughout the year till a month before harvesting in March-April, July-August and September-October. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Leaf Minor</strong> attacks the crop from April to mid-June and in the first week of November, a month before harvesting. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Whitefly </strong>and<strong> blackfly attack</strong> in April-May and September-October, while Black Citrus and Black Citrus Aphids are active August to October.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Thrips</strong> has been known to prey on the plant from March to April, and the <strong>Citrus mite</strong> in May-June, August- September.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The kinnow plant is also vulnerable to the <strong>Fruit Sucking bug, Mealybugs, Fruit Flies, Lemon butterfly</strong> etc. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are around 10 diseases like <strong>foot rot of plant, Fruit Drop, Citrus Canker, Citrus Scab, Sooty Mould Ring Spot, Greening, Citrus Tristeza, Die Back</strong>, etc. which attack both plant and fruit.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Fewer pests attack the kinnow plant so there is hardly any use of pesticide on it and it can be called ‘pesticide free’, but the attack of insects including thrips and whitefly are quite frequent, which need to be controlled through controlled use of insecticides.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Because of these natural climatic conditions farmers are not required to spray any insecticides from November to mid-February and this makes kinnow safe for consumption.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 3730,
'title' => 'Changes in crop insurance',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre decided to restrict its premium subsidy in its flagship crop insurance schemes to 30% for unirrigated areas and 25% for irrigated areas (from the existing unlimited).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While the average premium rate under PMFBY and RWBCIS at the national level was 12.32% for 2018-19, for some crops in certain districts, the rate of premium has been higher than 30% in recent years.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also decided to make enrolment of farmers in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) voluntary from the 2020 Kharif season.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, under PMFBY and RWBCIS, farmers pay a premium of 2% of the sum insured for all foodgrains and oilseeds crops of Kharif, 1.5% for all foodgrains and oilseeds crops of Rabi, and 5% for all horticultural crops. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The difference between actuarial premium rate and the rate of insurance premium payable by farmers, which is called the Rate of Normal Premium Subsidy, is shared equally between the Centre and the states.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One interpretation of this decision is that the burden of premium subsidy will go up for the states. For example, in the old regime, if a farmer’s Kharif crop was insured for Rs 1,00,000 and the rate of actuarial premium was 40%, then the premium paid by the farmer was 2% (Rs 2,000), and the remaining premium was shared by the Centre and the state equally (19% or Rs 19,000).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the new regime, for the same sum insured (Rs 1,00,000) and the same rate of premium (40%), the Centre will give subsidy for premium rates up to 30%. This means that from the Kharif 2020 season , the Centre will have to pay premium at the rate of 14% (out of 30%, the farmer’s share is 2%, and the Centre’s and state’s 14% each) instead of the 19% it paid (out of 40%) in the last Kharif season.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state has to bear the entire burden of the premium subsidy in cases where the rate of premium goes beyond the threshold of 30%.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">By capping the subsidy for premium rates up to 30%, the Centre wants to disincentivise certain crops in such areas where growing these crops involve high risks in terms of crop insurance premiums.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">That move will lead to a rise in the rates of premium, as the area covered under insurance and the number of enrolled farmers are expected to come down significantly. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As of now the schemes are compulsory for all loanee farmers and optional for other farmers. Non-loanee farmers under the crop insurance schemes are much fewer than loanee farmers. If the latter opt out of the schemes, the number of insured farmers will drastically come down.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 4454,
'title' => 'How COVID-19 flattened prices of agri-commodities',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While there is debate on how much the lockdown has helped in flattening the Covid-19 curve, one thing is clear: It has led to a flattening of prices through a leftward shift in the demand curve.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The best way to illustrate this is through two agricultural commodities, potato and milk, that were experiencing significant production shortfalls. In ordinary circumstances, it would have resulted in prices shooting up at this time. Instead, they have remained flat or even collapsed, thanks to the demand destruction from lockdown.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Till early-April, when the lockdown’s impact was still to kick in, mota aloo or regular large potato was selling from Agra’s cold storage units at around Rs 21 per kg. But it is now fetching Rs 18. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With hotels, restaurants and street food joints shuts and no weddings or other public functions taking place, consumption of potato-based snacks has taken a beating. Lower demand has, hence, caused prices to fall.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The above price decline, though, isn’t the usual one that economists term “movement along the demand curve”. Such movement involves a reduction/increase in quantity demanded only on account of an increase/decrease in price, and vice versa. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">What is being seen now, however, is the demand curve itself “shifting”. That, in turn, is due to the collapse of institutional or business demand for potatoes. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The leftward shift in the demand curve is even more obvious vis-à-vis milk. 2019-20 saw India’s milk production, perhaps, fall for the first time in decades. Till mid-March, there was talk of the country actually having to import up to one lakh tonnes of skimmed milk powder (SMP).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Those prices have not just flattened, but crashed to Rs 170 and Rs 230/kg levels. Many dairies have further slashed procurement prices.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">That, again, is the fallout of no institutional demand, whether from tea stalls and ice-cream makers or suppliers of khoa/chenna to sweetmeat sellers. In other words, it is a “shift” and not mere “movement” along the same demand curve.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 39 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 4703,
'title' => 'Direct Benefit Transfer of power subsidy',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A new bill by the Punjab Government has proposed providing subsidy on power to farmers through Direct Benefit of Transfer (DBT), which would be different from the prevailing ‘free power’ system.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts and farmers say that under the garb of DBT, it is a move to stop the free power supply to them. So, a big challenge lies ahead for the Punjab government.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, Punjab is supplying free power to 14.16 lakh electricity-run tubewells of the agriculture sector which are getting power through 5,900 Agricultural Pumpset Feeders (APFs). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These APFs are metered and the Punjab State Power Corporation charges the state government Rs 5.26 per unit for consumed units recorded in metered APFs. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are no individual meters installed on every tubewell in Punjab, which is among the first states to separate agriculture sector feeders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers are getting power supply for their Kharif and Rabi crops from these feeders as per the recommendations of the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. It is supplied for around eight hours every day in Kharif season and four hours on alternate days during Rabi crop season.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under DBT, farmers will have to pay the bill for the power consumed for agriculture purposes. After that, they will get the subsidy in their bank accounts through DBT. A meter would be installed on every individual tubewell.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In Punjab, 67 per cent farmers come under the small and marginal categories with 1-2 hectares land. Paying bills in advance is not possible for them due to debt.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The bill suggests the subsidy be paid directly to consumers in cash on the pattern of LPG subsidy. This proposal should be tried in a pilot project and if results are encouraging, only then it should be included in the amendment bill, according to experts.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Farmers organisations have already planned to hold massive protests on May 30 and 31 at subdivision level in Punjab and will observe ‘Black Day’ on June 1 along with several other organisations opposing the bill.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 40 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 4994,
'title' => 'COVID-19 helps reduce farmer suicides',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A record by Punjab Revenue Department has shown that farmer suicides have reduced drastically due to the prevalence of lockdown.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to this figure, on average around 12-13 farmers took their lives per month over the past three months. This number though is very high, still, it is about 70 percent lesser than suicides per month that the state was recorded prior to the lockdown.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If nearly four suicides in the last week of March are taken into account, the average suicides since the announcement of the lockdown till date are around 12 to 13 cases.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is a perception that the government may help farmers to come out of the debt net during the Covid-19 crisis on the lines of most developed countries like Canada and the USA where big economic assistance was provided to the farmers by their respective governments.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This also means that there is a possibility of less pressure on farmers for repaying their debts currently due to the pandemic has led to a decline in suicide cases.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In rural Punjab, a huge expenditure that happens on marriages and even on last rites is not happening as of now because of restrictions. Such social obligations were taking a huge toll on a large number of farmers in rural Punjab.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts feel that the trend is temporary relief and the situation will worsen as the number of suicides might increase once normalcy returns. They fear that banks and other financial establishments will adopt hawkish measures to realise their outstanding dues from the farmers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">If government’s policies pay attention towards paying full MSP to farmers and ensuring private players don’t exploit them to make huge profits then suicides will be the thing of the past in Punjab.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 5441,
'title' => 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> PM Modi has launched the Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to be used over the next four years. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This fund will be used to build post-harvest storage and processing facilities, largely anchored at the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), but can also be availed by individual entrepreneurs.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fund will also be used to provide loans, at concessional rates, to FPOs and other entrepreneurs through primary agriculture credit societies (PACs). <strong>NABARD</strong> will steer this initiative in association with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unless NABARD ensures that FPOs get their working capital at interest rates of 4 to 7 percent, like farmers get for crop loans, the mere creation of storage facilities will not be enough to benefit farmers. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Currently, most FPOs get a large chunk of their loans for working capital from microfinance institutions at rates ranging from 18-22 percent per annum. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At such rates, stocking is not economically viable unless the off-season prices are substantially higher than the prices at harvest time.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NABARD forms 10,000 FPOs and creates basic storage facilities through the AIF. It should devise a compulsory module that trains FPOs to use the negotiable warehouse receipt system and navigate the realm of agri-futures to hedge their market risks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Government agencies dabbling in commodity markets should increase their participation in agri-futures. The banks that give loans to FPOs and traders should also participate in commodity futures as “re-insurers” of sorts for the healthy growth of agri-markets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Finally, government policy has to be more stable and market-friendly.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India needs to not only spatially integrate its agri-markets (one nation, one market) but also integrate them temporally — spot and futures markets have to converge. Only then will Indian farmers realise the best price for their produce and hedge market risks.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 5829,
'title' => 'Punjab declares entire state as ‘Principal Market Yard’',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To nullify the negative impact of the Agricultural Bill on Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), SAD president Sukhbir Badal has suggested to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to declare the entire state as a ‘Principal Market Yard’.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Punjab Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, there are three types of yards under the Punjab Mandi Board (PMB) — Principal Market Yard, Sub Yard and Purchase centres.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Proper infrastructure is developed in these principal yards which included civic amenities, sheds, office buildings, canteen, platform, canteen roads, electrification and even public health facilities. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The small mandis have temporary arrangements of minimum civic amenities during the procurement season.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Declaring the entire state as Principal Market Yard would mean the purchaser has to pay the same taxes outside the PMB yards even in a private trade area.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the current yards of PMB, there are market committee staffs to manage the sale and purchase. The government will have to develop a system to bring every purchaser under one tax regime in the state.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Such a step could isolate Punjab and be beyond the centre’s Bills on agriculture applicable to the rest of India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre, which purchases the wheat and paddy of Punjab, may not like the idea if the state nullifies its Bills and could decide now to purchase from other state, an annual expenditure of Rs 65,000 crore will be now on state government.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state does not have the infrastructure to store it because centre’s Food Corporation of Indian (FCI) manages the entire storage of wheat and paddy in the state.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Trader who will be supposed to pay the taxes even outside the mandis will start paying even lesser to the farmers to keep their profit margin intact.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 43 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 5907,
'title' => 'Minimum Support Price calculation',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The cabinet committee on economic affairs has announced the increase of minimum support prices (MSP) for various Kharif crops including paddy, cotton, pulses and millets.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The prime focus is the calculation method which is employed by the ministry to calculate the MSP, i.e. the <strong>A2+FL</strong> system.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are various bases for calculating the MSP, which itself is an amount that the government promises to pay to the farmer for their products if their market price falls below a certain level.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MSP is usually based on the recommendations by the <strong>Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices</strong>. This estimation is usually done based on three types of calculation methods. These are <strong>A2</strong> method, <strong>A2+FL</strong> method and <strong>C2</strong> method.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CACP takes into consideration factors such as domestic and international prices, intercrop price parity, the overall demand-supply situation, and also the likely effect of the MSP on inflation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the A2 method, MSP is set 50% higher than the amount farmer spends on farming including spending on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">C2 method, on the other hand, makes the calculation by including a wider range of inputs. This includes besides factors used to calculate A2, the economic value of the efforts of family members working on the farm and the value of other spending including rent and other assets. After calculating these, MSP is set at 50% above the derived amount.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The present MSP has been calculated based on the A2+FL method. The method is a middle ground between the other methods were the MSP is set 50% higher than the amount that derives from adding the amount farmer spend on farming including spending on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour and the value of labour provided by the family members for agriculture.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The MSP which has seen an unprecedented increase is expected to help farmers who have been disturbed by various issues.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 44 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 5711,
'title' => 'Government’s ban on export of onion',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The central government issued a notification prohibiting the export of onions even as the average traded price of the bulb crossed the psychological barrier of Rs 30 per kg.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government tweaked the archaic Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to make the imposition of stock limit and movement restrictions on food grains, edible oilseeds, potatoes, onions, and other essential commodities only applicable in extreme conditions like war or natural calamity. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There seem to be two main triggers that prompted the government to take the extreme step of putting a blanket ban on exports of all kinds of onions. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first was obviously the steady increase in wholesale prices of onions which has seen the kitchen staple becoming costlier in the urban markets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The immediate trigger which led to the ban can also be found in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The numbers, which measures the inflation was 6.69 percent a tad bit lesser than the 6.73 of last month but well above the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s target of 6 percent. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Exceptionally heavy rains which lashed the country in August have led to a near-complete washout of the almost market-ready onion crop in Karnataka which was to hit the markets early in September. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Along with this, the rains have also wreaked havoc on the stored onions in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and parts of Maharashtra. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, it is only the onion growers in Maharashtra who have stored up the produce which they harvested in March-April. The supply disruption is likely to continue till the new crop in Maharashtra hits the markets early November.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian onions, normally shipped out countries in the Gulf, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, have a year-round steady demand. Demand from Sri Lanka, has suddenly picked up as the island nation also has reported heavy destruction of their crop due to rains. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the markets open for trade, a sharp depreciation in prices is expected to take place in view of the export ban. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Ironically the export ban comes when the government plans to make the ordinances that amended the Essential Commodities Act into law and stop knee-jerk reactions like the imposition of stock limits.</span></span></p>
</li>
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(int) 45 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6034,
'title' => 'Cultivating heeng in Indian Himalayas',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida, or heeng<em>,</em> is a common ingredient in most Indian kitchens –– so much so that the country imports Rs 600 crore worth of this pungent flavoured herb every year.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Scientists at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource, Palampur (IHBT), are on a mission to grow heeng in the Indian Himalayas. The first sapling has been planted in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul valley last week.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ferula asafoetida is a herbaceous plant of the umbelliferae family. It is a perennial plant whose oleo gum resin is extracted from its thick roots and rhizome. The plant stores most of its nutrients inside its deep fleshy roots.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida is endemic to Iran and Afghanistan, the main global suppliers. It thrives in dry and cold desert conditions. While it is very popular in India, some European countries too use it for its medicinal properties.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Heeng is not cultivated in India. Government data states that India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw heeng worth Rs 600 crore from Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The seeds were subjected to a number of tests while being kept under quarantine, to rule out fungal or infectious diseases, possibility of pest attacks, and other adverse effects to an area if these seeds were cultivated in fields.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The challenge for the scientists here was that heeng seeds remain under a prolonged dormant phase and the rate of seed germination is just one percent.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To tackle this dormancy, which according to scientists is part of the plant’s adaptation technique to survive in desert conditions, they subjected the seeds to some special chemical treatments.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida best grows in dry and cold conditions. The plant can withstand a maximum temperature between 35 and 40 degree, whereas during winters, it can survive in temperatures up to minus 4 degree. During extreme weather, the plant can get dormant.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Regions with sandy soil, very little moisture, and annual rainfall of not more than 200mm are considered conducive for heeng cultivation in India.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6036,
'title' => 'Working of fertiliser subsidy',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre is working on a plan to restrict the number of fertiliser bags that individual farmers can buy during any cropping season.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers buy fertilisers at MRPs (maximum retail price) below their normal supply-and-demand-based market rates or what it costs to produce/import them.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MRP of neem-coated urea is fixed by the government at Rs 5,922.22 per tonne, whereas its average cost-plus price payable to domestic manufacturers and importers comes to around Rs 17,000 and Rs 23,000 per tonne, respectively. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The difference, which varies according to plant-wise production cost and import price, is footed by the Centre as subsidy.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MRPs of non-urea fertilisers are decontrolled or fixed by the companies. The Centre, however, pays a flat per-tonne subsidy on these nutrients to ensure they are priced at “reasonable levels”. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The per-tonne subsidy is currently Rs 10,231 for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), Rs 6,070 for muriate of potash (MOP) and Rs 8,380 for the popular ‘10:26:26’ complex fertiliser, with their corresponding average MRPs at Rs 24,000, Rs 17,500 and Rs 23,500 per tonne, respectively.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The subsidy goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer who pays MRPs less than the market-determined rates. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Anybody buying subsidised fertilisers is required to furnish his/her Aadhaar unique identity or Kisan Credit Card number. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The quantities of the individual fertilisers purchased, along with the buyer’s name and biometric authentication, have to be captured on the PoS device. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Only upon the sale getting registered on the e-Urvarak platform can a company claim subsidy, with these being processed on a weekly basis and payments remitted electronically to its bank account.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Being super-subsidised, urea is always prone to diversion for non-agricultural use — as a binder by plywood/particle board makers, cheap protein source by animal feed manufacturers or adulterant by milk vendors — apart from being smuggled to Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scope for leakage was more in the earlier system, right from the point of dispatch till the retailer end. With DBT, pilferage happens only at the retailer level, as there is no subsidy payment till sales are made through POS machines and subject to the buyers’ biometric authentication.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, the Centre is following a “no denial” policy. Anybody, non-farmers included, can purchase any quantity of fertilisers through the PoS machines. That obviously allows for bulk buying by unintended beneficiaries, who are not genuine or deserving farmers. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One plan under discussion is to cap the total number of subsidised fertiliser bags that any person can buy during an entire kharif or Rabi cropping season. This, it is expected, would end even retail-level diversion and purchases by large buyers masquerading as farmers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The time has come to seriously consider paying farmers a flat per-acre cash subsidy that they can use to purchase any fertiliser. The amount could vary, depending on the number of crops grown and whether the land is irrigated or not. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6068,
'title' => 'Rise in onion prices',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With less than a week to go for the Bihar elections, the Centre has reintroduced the stock limit on onions to control rising prices.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Barely a month ago, Parliament had amended the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to exclude onions from the list of essential commodities, thus freeing them from stock limits. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prices of onion has been rising since the last week of August, as reports started coming in of massive losses to kharif onions caused by heavy rainfall in north Karnataka. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This crop was meant to arrive after September and was expected to feed the markets until the arrival of the kharif crop from Maharashtra towards the end of October.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are three main onion crops — kharif (June-July sowing, post-October harvest), late kharif (September sowing, post-December harvest), and Rabi (December-January sowing, post-March harvest). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers, especially in Maharashtra, store it in on-field structures called kanda chawls to protect it from moisture and light. This crop feeds the markets till the next one arrives.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The heavy rain in September not only destroyed the new crop in Karnataka but also took a toll on stored onions in states like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government has made relaxation of import norms, to allow easy shipping in from Iran, Turkey, and other onion-producing nations.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers and agricultural officers have talked about a dire shortage of onion seeds, which can cast a shadow on the all-important rabi season. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Normally, farmers generate their own seeds by allowing a portion of the crop to flower and then produce seeds. However, this season, they skipped this step and sold their entire crop in view of the good prices being offered. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Non-availability of good seeds has caused concerns and the available seeds are being sold at a premium.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 48 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6315,
'title' => 'Punjab urea use',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s fields are waiting for a crucial fertiliser, urea. The state is facing a shortage of urea<strong> </strong>due to suspension of goods trains.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Urea provides nitrogen to crop, which enhances productivity. It is required around 30 days after sowing of wheat, potato, etc. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is applied with the first irrigation of wheat, which is normally done after 30 days of sowing. Urea dissolves in properly irrigated or moist fields only.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If the first dose is delayed by 10-15 days, the yield will be affected by 10-15%. If there is no application of urea due to its non-supply, the yield may go down by 35 to 40%.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Alternative to urea</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Water soluble chemical sprays are an option, but even these are not available in the required quantity in Punjab.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Organic farming is the other option, which needs neither urea nor di-ammonium phosphate (DAP).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To give further nutrition to the crop, dung cakes can be mixed in water and sprayed close to the roots of the plants. This costs almost nothing, as cow dung cakes are available with every farmer in Punjab. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Cow dung cake contains Gibberellic acid, which is very good for plant growth and enhances photosynthesis.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Impact of overuse of fertilizers</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Land degradation as fertilizers reduces yield gradually over a period of time.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">High input cost as fertilizers are costly.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Environmental pollution occurs due to mixing of fertilizers with water bodies.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Health concerns due to excess use of fertilizers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Lower market demand in the future.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6374,
'title' => 'Punjab granaries overflowing',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s granaries are overflowing with food grains. This is a common problem over the years but has intensified this time.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The suspension of trains due to farmer’s protest has resulted in grains getting stuck in warehouses. The trade has also been subdued.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state still has 110 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and 55 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procured from previous seasons which is yet to be dispatched.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rice is not hardy as wheat and needs special storage in closed spaces. With record procurement happening this season, the government is unable to provide storing space for the grains.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ever since other states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan started contributing to state pool of food grains, the outward movement of food grains from Punjab has been affected.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Had the trains been still running, the evacuation would have been at least five times of the current rate.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Post harvest losses</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Post-harvest losses occur between harvest and the moment of human consumption. They include on-farm losses, such as when grain is threshed, winnowed, and dried, as well as losses along the chain during transportation, storage, and processing. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A late harvest, for example, can bring about losses from attacks by birds and other pests.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Insufficient drying of grain can cause losses from the development of moulds and insects.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Threshing can cause losses from broken grains and encourage the development of insects.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Poor storage conditions can bring about losses caused by the combined action of moulds, insects, rodents and other pests.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Transport conditions or defective packaging of grain can lead to quantitative losses of product.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Effects of post harvest losses</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Losses in weight</strong></span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:40px; margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A reduction of the physical substance of the product is evidenced by a loss in weight.</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Losses in quality</strong></span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:40px; margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Criteria of quality vary widely and involve the exterior aspect, shape and size, as much as the smell and taste.</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Economic losses</strong></span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:40px"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A reduction in the quantities or qualities of grain means a corresponding commercial loss that is evidenced as a loss of money.</span></span></p>
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(int) 50 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6355,
'title' => 'Agricultural subsidies and air pollution',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Delhi and the surrounding areas of the Gangetic plains suffer from pollution problem mainly during winter. While there are many reasons for pollution to occur, agriculture stands out.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The over exploitation of government subsidies by farmers has contributed towards increasing pollution from agriculture.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indo-Gangetic plain is also one of the world’s largest and rapidly- growing ammonia hotspots. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Atmospheric ammonia comes from fertiliser use, animal husbandry, and other agricultural practices, combined with emissions from power plants, transportation, and other fossil-fuel burning to form fine particles.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Much of the policy attention has focused on how to change the disposal of paddy stubble, but our current system of subsidies is a big reason that there is stubble on these fields.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Free power and consequently free water pumped from the ground is a big part of what makes growing rice in these areas attractive.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Open-ended procurement of paddy, despite the growing stocks of grains with the Food Corporation of India, adds to the incentives. Subsidies account for almost 15 percent of the value of rice being produced in Punjab- Haryana belt.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Fertiliser, particularly urea in granular form, is highly subsidised. It is one of the cheapest forms of nitrogen-based fertiliser, easy to store and easy to transport, but it is also one of the first to release ammonia into the air and contribute towards pollution.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Different types of agricultural subsidies</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Free electricity</strong>: Cheaper electricity for farmers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Free irrigation</strong>: Irrigation facilities including bore well and pump sets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Cheap fertilizers and seeds</strong>: Fertilizer rate is highly subsidised and seeds are procured at low prices.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Cheap credit facility</strong>: Cheap loans to farmers as credit. Sometimes there is also loan waiver.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Minimum Supporting Price</strong>: Providing higher than normal buying rate for produce by the government.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Tax free income</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">: Farmers are free from paying income tax.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 51 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6575,
'title' => 'Crop diversification in Punjab',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amidst the ongoing farmer protests, questions are being raised on the sustainability of paddy-wheat cultivation, especially in Punjab.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat and Paddy form the staple crop of Punjab. These crops require high input costs and are also responsible for depletion of water resources.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s gross cropped area in 2018-19 was estimated at 78.30 lakh hectares (lh). Out of that, 35.20 lh was sown under wheat and another 31.03 lh under paddy, adding up to 84.6% of the total area planted to all crops. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The above gains have been at the expense of pulses (after 1960-61), maize, bajra, and oilseeds (after 1970-71), and cotton (after 1990-91). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat replaced chana, masur, mustard and sunflower, while cotton, maize, groundnut, and sugarcane area got diverted to paddy. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The only crops that have registered some acreage expansions are vegetables (especially potato and pea) and fruits (kinnow), but they hardly amount to any diversification.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Threats due to monoculture</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Growing the same crops year after year on the same land increases vulnerability to pest and disease attacks. The more the crop and genetic diversity, the more difficult it is for insects and pathogens to device way to pierce through plant resistance. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat and paddy cannot also, unlike pulses and legumes, fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. Their continuous cultivation without any crop rotation, leads to depletion of soil nutrients and growing dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If there is only one type of crop on a given land plot, the root systems of this species are not sufficient to maintain the soil structure around the plants, which can lead to erosion and loss of water uptake.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Monoculture farming has also a negative effect on such important participants of the natural reproductive cycle as bees and other pollinators.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of crop diversification</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Major advantages of crop diversification include </span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Income increases of small farm holdings;</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Less risk for price fluctuation, climatic variability; </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Balancing food demand; </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Increasing the production of quality fodder for livestock animals;</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Beneficial for conserving natural resources; </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minimize intake of fertilizers; </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Reducing application of pesticides.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 52 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6584,
'title' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farmer’s union founded by the legendary farm leader Sharad Joshi, has extended support to the new farm bills.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government was conducting a large outreach programme to convince farmers regarding the benefits of the new farm laws. Many farmers groups have met the Agriculture minister and expressed their support.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sharad Joshi, an economist by training, worked for the United Nations in Switzerland. After returning to the country, he purchased land and became a full-time farmer.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 1979, he led a group of farmers to block the Pune-Nashik highway to press for higher prices for onion. The genesis of the Shetkari Sanghatana lies in this movement, which saw onion growers dumping their produce on the highway to underline their demand.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Joshi believed that unless the problems of rural India were raised forcefully in urban India, farmers would never receive justice.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">His agitations were, therefore, invariably staged in the urban areas, and were calculated to impact urban life. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Protesters often gathered on highways or railway tracks to press for better prices of sugarcane, or the removal of state monopoly in the procurement of cotton.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Shetkari Sanghatana has been vocal about getting access to the market. Joshi was convinced that the root cause of farmers’ problems lay in their limited access to the market. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Sanghatana hit the street to demand removal of zone limits on sugarcane farmers, or the ban on inter-state movement of cotton. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Sanghatana was one of the first bodies to come out in support of the farm reforms announced by the central government. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of the three new laws, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 received the most support from the union.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'metatitle' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana | Maharashtra-based farmer’s ',
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(int) 53 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6881,
'title' => 'Agri-food policy for India',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts have stated that India needs to frame an optimal agri-food policy to address both short-run and long-term challenges.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One, it should be able to produce enough food, feed and fibre for its large population. In this regard, the best step is to invest in R&D for agriculture, and its extension from laboratories to farms and irrigation facilities.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is believed that developing countries should invest at least one per cent of their agri-GDP in agri-R&D and extension. India invests about half.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Two, it should do so in a manner that not only protects the environment but achieves higher production with global competitiveness. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This can be done by switching from the highly subsidised input price policy (power, water, fertilisers) and MSP/FRP policy for paddy, wheat and sugarcane, to more income support policies linked to saving water, soil and air quality.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Third, it should enable seamless movement of food from farm to fork, keeping marketing costs low, save on food losses in supply chains and provide safe and fresh food to consumers. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of the policy</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will reduce the burden of agricultural taxes on government. This money can be used for investing in agricultural research.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will act as sustainable method to practice climate neutral agriculture that does not result in destruction of environment.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will ensure that crop diversity and food security will be enhanced over a period of time in future.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 54 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Agriculture',
'keyword' => 'agriculture',
'id' => (int) 6907,
'title' => 'Gujarat suggests Sanskrit name for Dragon frui',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has proposed to rename dragon fruit as ‘Kamalam’ in order to give it an Indian identity.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He considered Kamalam was apt because the characteristic fuchsia ‘spikes’ or ‘petals’ of the fruit recall a lotus in bloom.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is the fruit of a species of wild cactus indigenous to South and Central America, where it is called pitaya or pitahaya. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fruit’s flesh is usually white or red and is studded with tiny seeds rather like the kiwifruit.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit is Vietnam, where the plant was brought by the French in the 19th century. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Vietnamese call it thanh long, which translates to “dragon’s eyes”, believed to be the origin of its common English name.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is also cultivated in Thailand, Taiwan, China, Australia, Israel, and Sri Lanka. It was brought to India in the 1990s, and is grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It grows in all kinds of soil, and does not require much water.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Renaming proposal</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ICAR sources said the Gujarat government’s proposal had been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ICAR officials say such a proposal would need approval from the Botanical Survey of India and the National Biodiversity Authority under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is not a species native to India and any change in its nomenclature in official annals can lead to international litigation. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Calculation of 1.5 times formula for MSP',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One of the main issue raised by the farmers during their protest is regarding MSP, which they fear the government will do away with.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The minimum support price (MSP) is an agricultural product price set by the Government of India to purchase directly from the farmer, well above their production costs.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for 23 crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While recommending MSP, CACP considers various factors viz. cost of production, overall demand-supply situations of various crops in domestic and world markets, domestic and international prices, inter-crop price parity, terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture sector, likely effect of price policy on rest of economy and a minimum of 50 percent as the margin over cost of production.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The 22 mandated crops, for which MSP is being announced by the government for the last three years, include 14 Kharif crops viz. Paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, arhar, moong, urad, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, nigerseed, cotton, and 6 Rabi crops viz. wheat, barley, gram, masur (lentil), rapeseed & mustard, safflower, and two commercial crops viz. jute and copra.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CACP does not do any field based cost estimates. It makes projections based on state-wise, crop-wise production cost estimates.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A2 covers all paid out costs indirectly incurred by farmer in cash and kinds such as seeds, fertilizers, hired labour, leased land, fuel, equipments etc. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A2+FL include A2 plus an inputed value of unpaid family labour. C2 is more comprehensive cost that factors in rental and interest forgone on owned land and fixed capital assets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CACP considers A2+FL and C2 costs while recommending MSP. However C2 costs are used by CACP primarily as benchmark reference cost.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Parameters included in SHC are N, P, K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro - nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). </span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Samples are taken generally two times in a year, after harvesting of Rabi and Kharif Crop respectively or when there is no standing crop in the field.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
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<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
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</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
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</li>
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This scheme will be made effective retrospectively from 1st December 2018 and first installment for period upto 31st March 2019 will be paid during this year itself.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is farm support scheme aimed at addressing farm sector in crisis by providing an assured income support to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will not only provide assured supplemental income to most vulnerable farmer families and but also help to meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Intended Beneficiaries:</strong> Vulnerable landholding farmers having cultivable land upto 2 hectares. It is expected to benefit around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families. It will enable farmers to earn and live respectable living.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits:</strong> It will provide vulnerable landholding farmers <strong>direct income support of Rs. 6000 per year</strong>. This income support will be transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in three equal instalments of Rs. 2,000 each.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Funding:</strong> It will be funded by Central Government. It will entail annual expenditure of Rs.75,000 crore</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Need </strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, there has been decline in income of farmer family leading to farm distress across the country due to declining prices of agricultural commodities in international market and fall in food inflation in domestic market relative to non-food sector.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is need to provide structured income support to poor land-holder farmer families in country for procuring inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, equipment, labour etc. and to meet other needs.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Such support will help marginal farmers in avoiding indebtedness as well and falling into clutches of money lenders.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Similar schemes of states governments</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Rythu Bandhu of Telangana</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was first direct farmer investment support scheme to be launched in India where the cash is paid directly into the farmers' account.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers get Rs 8,000 investment support in two instalments ahead of Kharif and Rabi season. There is no cap on land holding for beneficiaries and also incorporates tenant farmers as beneficiaries. </span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also has insurance component.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Krishak Bandhu scheme of West Bengal</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It offers input support of Rs.5000 per acre in two instalments to farmers,<strong> </strong>one during Kharif and another during Rabi season. Farmers can also take financial assistance at one go.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, farmers (earning family member) aged between 18 and 60 years are also provided life insurance cover of Rs 2,00,000 in case of death, irrespective of cause. They are not required to pay any premium to avail the insurance benefit.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA scheme of Odisha</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">KALIA stands for Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation. It benefits 92% of the cultivators in state including big farmers to landless cultivators.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is most comprehensive of all income support scheme announced so far as it covers landless agricultural labourers along with marginalized farmers and vulnerable agricultural households.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, Rs 10,000 per family is provided as assistance for cultivation, Rs 5,000 each in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, financial assistance is not linked to the quantum of land owned. It also has provision for interest-free crop loan upto Rs. 50000.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also targets landless households, specifically SC/ST families by providing them assistance of Rs 12,500 for activities like goat rearing, beekeeping, poultry farming, fishery and mushroom cultivation.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also provides life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of same amount for 57 lakh households.</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-declare-pradhan-mantri-kisan-samman-nidhi-scheme', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6889/2pg4fzvlwn473od6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6889/2pg4fzvlwn473od6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Govt Announce Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme- Study IQ', 'metakeyword' => 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme. Govt Announce, Govt declare', 'metadescription' => 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana was announced in Interim Budget 2019-20 to provide assured income support to small and marginal farmers.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/kd4vhgl711hfb88/6.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 58, 'title' => 'Odisha Government adds scholarship component to KALIA Scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Odisha Government has launched KALIA Chhatra Bruti Scheme to help farmers’ children in state to pursue higher studies in disciplines such as medicine, engineering, management and law etc. This scholarship scheme is new component of recently launched KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA Chhatra Bruti Scheme</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under it, children of beneficiary farmers KALIA scheme will be provided scholarship for pursuing higher education.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its main beneficiary are children of farmers who have taken admission at Government Professional colleges on merit basis. State government will bear the educational expenses of these children.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is income support scheme launched by Odisha Government to provide financial, livelihood, cultivation support along with insurance support to small, marginal and the landless farmers.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is package scheme for farmers' welfare launched to accelerate agricultural prosperity and elimination of poverty.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Intended beneficiaries: </strong>It primary targets are small farmers and marginal farmers, sharecroppers, cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. It also targets landless households, specifically SC/ST families. It will benefit around 92% of the cultivators in the state and include every category from big farmers to landless cultivators irrespective of quantum of land owned.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Funding:</strong> State Government has allocated Rs. 10,180 crore over three years until 2020-21 for this scheme i.e. for five cropping seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Components of Scheme</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Support for Cultivation: </strong>Rs. 10, 000 per family will be provided to beneficiary farmers as assistance for cultivation. It will be provided in two installments, Rs 5,000 each in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers can use this assistance to purchase seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and also for labour.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Support for livelihood: </strong>It supports Landless households, specifically SC and ST families with unit cost of Rs. 12,500 for livelihood activities like goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, poultry farming and fishery.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Financial Assistance:</strong> Rs. 10,000 per annum will be provided to 10 lakh vulnerable households and landless laborers.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Life Insurance Cover: </strong>It also provides life insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of the same amount to 57 lakh households of cultivators and landless agri labourers.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Interest Free Crop Loans:</strong> It proposes interest-free crop loans up to Rs 50,000.</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'odisha-government-adds-scholarship', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bf11/xxey8p5ry4gb6q66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bf11/xxey8p5ry4gb6q66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Odisha Government adds scholarship component to KALIA Scheme', 'metakeyword' => 'Odisha Government, scholarship, KALIA Scheme, scholarship component to KALIA Scheme', 'metadescription' => 'Odisha Government has launched KALIA Chhatra Bruti Scheme to help farmers’ children in state to pursue higher studies in disciplines such as medicine', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/vf8mc3rsu32llb3/current_affair_1.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 2 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 101, 'title' => 'Atal Bhujal Yojana ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) is Central Sector Scheme aimed at sustainable ground water management with community participation in select over-exploited and ground water stressed areas in seven States. It is implemented by Ministry of Water Resources with help of World Bank.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Objectives of ABHY</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Recharge ground water and create sufficient water storage for agricultural purposes.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Revive surface water bodies so that ground water level can be increased, especially in the rural areas.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Give emphasis to recharging ground water sources and ensure efficient use of water by involving people at local level.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Features of ABHY</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has total outlay of Rs. 6,000 Crore. Funding pattern is 50:50 between Central Government and World Bank.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is being implemented in the identified over-exploited (OE) and water stressed areas inseven States viz. <em>Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh</em>.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It envisages active participation of communities in various activities such as formation of ‘Water User Associations’, monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also seeks implementation of Gram-panchayat-wise water security plans and Information Education Communication (IEC) activities related to sustainable ground water management.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance of ABHY</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It targets those who are in need for constant ground water supply especially farmers who have been hard impacted by acute shortage of ground water for past several years.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It involves communities and converges with different water conservation schemes.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its major component seeks to make society responsible and bringlong-term behavioural change to manage groundwater resource efficiently and judiciously.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also seeks to change and improve overall outlook of all stakeholders towards water resource.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background </strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The current status of groundwater is alarming, primarily due over-exploitation and non-uniform ground water development across the country. According to report Ground Water Assessment, 2011, published by Central Ground Water Board out of the total 6584 numbers of assessment units (Block/ Taluks/Mandals), 1034 units have been categorized as ‘Over-exploited’. Moreover, 92 units are completely saline.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The number of over-exploited and critical administrative units is significantly higher in states/UTs of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Daman and Diu.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The declining ground water levels have resulted in failure of wells or deepening of extraction structures, leading to additional burden on farmers. Water being State subject, steps for conservation, augmentation and efficient management of water resources to ensure sustainability and availability are primarily undertaken by respective State Governments.</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'atal-bhujal-yojana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/57d0/gy8mf0xyzs09scy6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/57d0/gy8mf0xyzs09scy6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Atal Bhujal Yojana | StudyIQ Daily Current Affairs, Today News GK', 'metakeyword' => 'Government Schemes Current Affairs, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Central Sector Scheme, World Bank, Ministry of Water Resources, Groundwater, Water Conservation, ', 'metadescription' => 'Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) is Central Sector Scheme aimed at sustainable ground water management with community participation in select over-exploited', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/8u2fcyxl7rnhafp/8_FEB_Atal_Bhujal_Yojana.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 184, 'title' => 'Government hikes minimum selling price of sugar', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Food) has increased Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar from Rs.29 to Rs. 31 for the year 2019-20. This decision is aimed at benefiting sugar farmers and in order to clear their arrears/cane dues.<strong> </strong></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">MSP of sugar</span></strong> </span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is rate below which the mills cannot sell sugar in the open market to wholesalers and bulk consumers like biscuit and beverage makers.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is different from fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane. It is the minimum price that sugarcane farmers are legally guaranteed. </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FRP is announced by Cabinet Committed on Economic Affairs (CCEA) based on recommdation of on basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Impact of hike in MSP</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide more liquidity to sugar mills, enabling them to pay arrears or dues to the Sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will lead to increased income and savings sugar mills which will then be passed on to Sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Government will put in place mechanism to ensure benefit given to sugar industries/mills by hiking MSP is passed on to sugarcane farmers.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), arrears of sugarcane farmers stood at around Rs. 20,000 crore as of January 2019-end. In last few years, Union Government has taken several measures to help cash-starved mills clear cane dues. </span></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Increase imposition of 100% import duty on sugar.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Scrapping of export duty.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Creation of buffer stock.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Subsidy for mandatory export of 5 million tonnes in 2018-19 marketing year. </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Loans at subsidised interest rates to mills for setting up of ethanol capacity. </span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-hikes-minimum-selling-price-sugar', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e4cf/hiyij596c12dahq6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e4cf/hiyij596c12dahq6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Govt hikes minimum selling price of sugar', 'metakeyword' => 'In Business and Economy Current Affairs, Govt increased Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar from Rs.29 to Rs. 31 for the year 2019-20', 'metadescription' => 'Government has increased Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar from Rs.29 to Rs. 31 for the year 2019-20', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/bi3uctc8yp333jf/15feb_Government_hikes_minimum.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 214, 'title' => 'Cabinet approves National Rural Economic Transformation Project ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Cabinet approved Implementation World Bank funded <strong>National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) </strong>under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). It aims to help rural households shift to new generation of economic initiatives by developing viable enterprises for farm and non-farm products. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to provide higher level interventions to enhance livelihoods promotion, access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihood interventions.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is funded through loan assistance from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), lending arm World Bank.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Projects under it will provide alternate channels of financial inclusion, creating value chains around rural products. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also introduce innovative models in livelihoods promotion and access to finance and scale-up initiatives on digital finance and livelihoods interventions.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is poverty alleviation scheme implemented by Union Ministry of Rural Development to promote self-employment and organization of rural poor. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was launched in 2011 as NRLM and was succeeded by Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana in 2016. It is supported by World Bank. It is one of world’s largest initiatives to improve the livelihood of poor.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to create efficient and effective institutional platforms for rural poor to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It helps rural poor to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. It organizes poor into SHGs and make them capable for self-employment.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> It also gives special focus to women empowerment. It has dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. </span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cabinet-national-rural-economic-transformation-project ', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/25f4/ar9x6lissdbykx86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/25f4/ar9x6lissdbykx86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cabinet approves National Rural Economic Transformation Project', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Cabinet, World Bank funded,National Rural Economic Transformation Project,NRETP, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).', 'metadescription' => 'Cabinet approved Implementation World Bank funded National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/e8bh7cc8gd0ow89/20feb_Cabinet_approves_National_Rural.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 212, 'title' => 'Cabinet approves KUSUM scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme to provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy. The scheme aims at adding solar capacities of 25.75 gigawatts (GW) by 2022. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Three Components of scheme</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-A:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> 10,000 MW of Decentralised Ground Mounted Grid Connected Renewable Power Plants</span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, decentralised renewable power plants of capacity 500 KW to 2 MW will be setup by individual farmers, panchayats, cooperatives or farmer producer organisations (FPO) on their lands. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The power generated by these localised plants will be purchased by DISCOMs in tariffs determined by respective State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERC). </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">DISCOMs will be provided with Performance Based Incentives of Rs. 0.40 per unit for 5 years for buying power from these localized plants. This will open a continuous source of income to rural land owners. </span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-B: Installation of 17.50 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, individual farmers will be supported to install standalone solar pumps of capacity up to 7.5 HP. In this case, Solar PV capacity in kW equal to pump capacity in Horsepower (HP) will be allowed.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-C: Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid-connected Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, individual farmers will be supported to solarise water pumps of capacity up to 7.5 HP. In this case, solar PV capacity up to two times of pump capacity in kW will be allowed. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help farmer to use generated energy to meet irrigation needs and sell excess available energy to DISCOM. This will help to create avenues for extra income to farmers, thus help in doubling farmers income.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Implementation</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Component-A and Component-C of this scheme will be implemented on pilot mode. Component-B will be implemented in full-fledged manner.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Funding of Component-B and Component-C:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Central financial assistance (CFA) of 30% of benchmark cost or tender cost (whichever is lower) will be provided. State Government will provide subsidy of 30% and farmers will provide remaining 40%. Besides, bank finance may be made available for meeting 30% of farmers cost. In this case, remaining 10% will be provided by the farmer. There will be higher CFA of 50% for North Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of KUSUM Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will have substantial environmental impact in terms of reducing CO2 emissions. All its three components will save about 27 million tonnes of CO2 emission per annum.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its Component-B will result in saving of 1.2 billion liters of diesel per annum and associated savings in foreign exchange due to reduction of import of crude oil.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also have direct employment potential and also increase avenues of self-employment. Overall it will generate employment opportunity equivalent to 6.31 lakh job years for skilled and unskilled workers. </span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cabinet-approves-kusum-scheme', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ba05/be52dok9e1wovdc6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ba05/be52dok9e1wovdc6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cabinet approves KUSUM scheme | KUSUM scheme | Current Affairs GK', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, CCEA approves Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, KUSUM. scheme. provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy.', 'metadescription' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme to provide financial and water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/f9uj1q7n5972d4n/20feb_Cabinet_approves_KUSUM.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 313, 'title' => 'Brazil, Australia lodge complaint in WTO over India's sugar subsidies', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Brazil and Australia have lodged formal complaint against India in World Trade Organisation (WTO), alleging that India's continued sugar subsidies to farmers have led to "glut" and "depressed" global prices. Australia was first to lodged this counter-notification with WTO over to India's sugar subsidy practices in November 2018. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Reasons for complaint</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to Brazil and Australia, India's sugar subsidy regime was inconsistent with WTO rules and had helped create glut in global sugar market. It Is hurting sugarcane growers and sugar millers in Australia, Brazil or other countries. It is not consistent with WTO rules and does not provide level playing field.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Sugarcane is grown as Kharif Crop in India. It is water intensive crop and needs hot and humid climate to grow. It can grow in any soil which can retain moisture, but deep rich loamy soil is ideal for its growth. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is world’s second largest sugar producer after Brazil. Currently, UP is India’s foremost sugar producing state followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In international markets, India is considered to be sugar giant due to huge production of sugarcane as well as sugar, largest number of cane farmers, more than 500 sugar mills, largest consumer of sugar and one of the largest sugar exports.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">World Trade Organisation (WTO),</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is inter-governmental organization for governments to negotiate global trade agreements and progressively liberalizing trade.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was established on 1 January 1995 and its official languages are English, French and Spanish. Its located in Geneva, Switzerland.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It operates system of trade rules that apply to all its members. It also has trade dispute resolution mechanism for its members to settle their trade disputes. </span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'brazil-australia-lodge-complaint-india-sugar-subsidies', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c4e9/1hws5em7d6obta66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c4e9/1hws5em7d6obta66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'India's sugar subsidies: Brazil, Australia lodge complaint in WTO', 'metakeyword' => 'In Economy Current Affairs, Brazil, Australia, lodge complaint, WTO, India's, sugar subsidies, ', 'metadescription' => 'Brazil, Australia, have lodged formal complaint against India in World Trade Organisation (WTO), alleging that India's continued sugar subsidies to farmers have led to "glut" and "depressed" global prices.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/tcyow5l6kpsmypp/2mar_Brazil%2C_Australia_lodge_complaint.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 308, 'title' => 'Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Jl-VAN Yojana', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana. It has been launched as tool to create Second Generation (2G) Ethanol capacity in the country and attract investments in this new sector.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Objectives</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Incentivise 2G ethanol sector and support this nascent industry by creating a suitable ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and increasing R&D in this area.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Supplement targets envisaged by Central Government under Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features of Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, 12 Commercial Scale and 10 demonstration scale 2G ethanol Projects will be provided a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support in two phases:</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase-I (2018-19 to 2022-23):</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Six commercial projects and five demonstration projects will be supported.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase-II (2020-21 to 2023-24):</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Six commercial projects and five demonstration projects will be supported.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Implementation</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be implemented by Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG) with total financial outlay of Rs.1969.50 crore for period from 2019 to 2024.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Projects under it will reviewed by Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of MoP&NG and then will be recommended to Steering Committee of MoP&NG under chairmanship of Secretary, MoP&NG for final approval. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Ethanol produced by scheme beneficiaries will be mandatorily supplied to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to enhance blending percentage under EBP Programme.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Help Central Government to meet vision of reducing import dependence by way of substituting fossil fuels with biofuels.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Help to achieve Green House Gases (CHGs) emissions reduction targets through progressive blending/ substitution of fossil fuels.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Address environment concerns caused due to burning of biomass/crop residues and improve health of citizens.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Improve farmer income by providing them remunerative income for their otherwise waste agriculture residues.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Create rural and urban employment opportunities in 2G Ethanol projects and Biomass supply chain.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Contribute to Swacch Bharat Mission by supporting aggregation of non­food biofuel feedstocks such as waste biomass and urban waste.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indigenize 2G Biomass to Ethanol technologies.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Government had launched EBP programme in 2003 for undertaking blending of ethanol in Petrol to address environmental concerns due to fossil fuel burning, provide remuneration to farmers, subsidize crude imports and achieve forex savings. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under it, OMCs are allowed to blend upto 10% of ethanol in Petrol. Presently, EBP is being run in 21 States and 4 UTs of the country. Petroleum Ministry has set target to achieve 10% blending percentage of Ethanol in petrol by 2022.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The National Policy on Biofuel 2018 allows procurement of ethanol produced from molasses and non-food feed stock like celluloses and lignocelluloses material including petrochemical route.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'ccea-pradhan-mantri-ji-van-yojana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9028/62xocba9lnxr56a6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9028/62xocba9lnxr56a6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Jl-VAN Yojana | Current Affair GK', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, CCEA, Cabinet Decisions, Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran, Ethanol Blending Programme ', 'metadescription' => 'CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/7c139exzh3mpo72/2mar_Cabinet_approves_Pradhan.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 336, 'title' => 'Rice Knowledge Bank–Assam launched under APART project', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Agriculture web portal Rice Knowledge Bank-Assam was launched recently as part of World Bank funded project- Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART). It is dedicated for enhancing knowledge on rice production techniques and technologies, best production practices and state agriculture facts.<strong> </strong></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Assam Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB-Assam)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has been developed by Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society (ARIAS), Assam Agricultural University (AAU) with technical assistance from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to bridge gap between research and on-field rice production practices. It will serve as digital extension service providing practical knowledge solutions, especially for small-scale farmers in Assam.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will showcase rice production techniques, agricultural technologies and best farming practices based on pool of knowledge from research findings, learning and media resources from AAU and IRRI.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will play key role to ensure transfer to knowledge on rice production techniques and technologies and best production practices to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will empower farmers with better decision-making, reducing yield gaps and leading to increase in farmer incomes and improved sustainability.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to address challenges for agricultural development by supporting fast and effective transfer of technologies and knowledge from research laboratory to farmer's fields.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'rice-knowledge-bank-assam-launched-apart-project', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/68a4/h40ozak9k3f4lf76g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/68a4/h40ozak9k3f4lf76g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Rice Knowledge Bank–Assam launched under APART project', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Agriculture web portal, Rice Knowledge Bank-Assam, World Bank, funded project, Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation, APART Project', 'metadescription' => 'Agriculture web portal Rice Knowledge Bank-Assam was launched recently as part of World Bank funded project- Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/vjyank245tt43i8/5Mar_Rice_Knowledge_Bank%E2%80%93Assam.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 337, 'title' => 'Government to launch Gram Samridhi Yojana', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries will soon launch Gram Samridhi Yojana to bolster unorganised food processing sector concentrated in rural areas. The scheme has outlay of Rs 3,000 crore and will be funded by World Bank and Centre. It has been approved by NITI Aayog and now it waiting for clearance of Expenditure Finance Committee, Ministry of Finance.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Gram Samridhi Yojana</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims at development of modern infrastructure to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units, upgrade technology in existing unit, improve management of units and give technical support. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Intendent Beneficiaries:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Cottage industry, farmer producers’ organisation and individual food processors. They will process local produce, package and market it.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Under it, common facility centres and business incubators in rural areas will be set up. The incubator will provide infrastructure and services to support growth of new food businesses. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide equipment and programs to help businessmen or entrepreneur launch new product through development, market launch and growth in sales.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide subsidy to them (max Rs 10 lakh per unit) apart from interest subsidy, if they avail of loans.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be implemented at cluster level where food processing units or individual players can apply for the subsidy online.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Funding: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">World Bank will provide Rs 1,500 crore while Rs 1,000 crore will be borne by Centre while state governments will provide reaming Rs 500 crore.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Phase implementation:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> In the initial phase, it will be launched in four states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab for five-year period and thereafter replicated in other states.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help cottage industry, farmer producers’ organisations and individual food processors to increase capacity, upgrade technology besides skill improvement, entrepreneurship development and strengthening farm-tomarket supply chain.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to achieve Government’s set goal of doubling of farmers’ income and employment opportunities in rural areas.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About 66% of unorganised food processing units are in rural areas and of these, 80% are family run.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'government-launch-gram-samridhi-yojana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8e86/hs11rzh6tbyr9e56g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8e86/hs11rzh6tbyr9e56g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Government to launch Gram Samridhi Yojana', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Gram Samridhi Yojana, unorganised food processing sector, rural development', 'metadescription' => ' Ministry of Food Processing Industries will soon launch Gram Samridhi Yojana to bolster unorganised food processing sector concentrated in rural areas', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/wkpr6gboozzubk7/5Mar_Government_to_launch_Gram.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 289, 'title' => 'Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has launched Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme to cater needs and aspirations of the youth. It is youth-friendly scheme aimed at attracting youth to cooperative business ventures.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims at encouraging cooperatives to venture into new and innovative areas and meet the needs of youth.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is linked to Rs 1000 crore ‘Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF)’ created by NCDC. All types of cooperatives in operation for at least 1 year are eligible to avail its benefits.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It envisages 2% less than applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project cost up to Rs 3 crore including 2 years moratorium on payment of principal. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It provides more incentives for cooperatives of North Eastern region (NER), Aspirational Districts and cooperatives with women or SC/ST or Persons with Disabilities (PwD) members.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The funding for project under it up to 80% of total project cost for these special categories against 70% for other states.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is unique and sole statutory organisation functioning as apex financial and developmental institution exclusively for cooperative sector. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is ISO 9001:2015 compliant organization. It has distinctive edge of competitive financing. It supports cooperatives in diverse fields apart from agriculture and allied sectors. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It functions under Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. It has many regional centres to provide financial assistance to Cooperatives, Societies and federations.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'yuva-sahakar-cooperative-enterprise-support-innovation-scheme', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b4ca/k72rqafxcr733y46g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b4ca/k72rqafxcr733y46g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme, Cooperatives, Agriculture, National Cooperative Development Corporation', 'metadescription' => 'NCDC launches Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme to cater needs and aspirations of the youth', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/zdwz7ctz10d07ud/28feb_Yuva_Sahakar-Cooperative_Enterprise.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 362, 'title' => 'World Bank to fund National Rural Economic Transformation Project', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Government has inked US $250-million loan agreement with World Bank for funding National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). This loan will be from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with final maturity of 20 years and 5-year grace period</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is new sub-component under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) implemented by Ministry of Rural Development. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to help rural households shift to new generation of economic initiatives by developing viable enterprises for farm and non-farm products.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It supports enterprise development programmes for rural poor women and youth by creating platform to access finance including start-up financing options to build their individual and collectively owned and managed enterprises. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also involves developing financial products using digital financial services to help small producer collectives to scale-up and engage actively with the market. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also supports youth skills development, in coordination with Ministry of Skill’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its key focus of is to promote women-owned and women-led farm and non-farm enterprises across value chains. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It seeks to enable them to build businesses that help them access finance, markets and networks; and generate employment. </span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'national-rural-economic-transformation-project', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e6c2/bpftizdmtpzoiju6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e6c2/bpftizdmtpzoiju6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'World Bank to fund National Rural Economic Transformation Project', 'metakeyword' => 'In National Current Affairs, Government,US $250-million, loan agreement, World Bank, funding, National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)', 'metadescription' => 'Union Government has inked US $250-million loan agreement with World Bank for funding National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/m65mfmqc8oepcr1/6MAR_World_Bank_to_fund_National_Rural.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 357, 'title' => 'Transport and Marketing Assistance Scheme for Agriculture Products launched ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Commerce has launched Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) Scheme for Specified Agriculture Products. It aims providing financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products for boosting export of farm commodities to certain countries in Europe and North America. This scheme will be included in Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20).</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">TMA Scheme for Specified Agriculture Product</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Objectives: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">(i) Provide assistance for international component of transportation of agricultural produce to mitigate disadvantage of higher cost of exporting agriculture products. (ii) Promote brand recognition for Indian agricultural products in the specified overseas markets.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Coverage: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will cover all exporters who are registered with relevant Export Promotion Council as per Foreign Trade Policy. It covers freight and marketing assistance for agricultural export by air as well as by sea (both normal and refrigerated cargo).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Under it, financial assistance will be provided to exporters of eligible agriculture products to permissible countries as specified from time to time.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For export of products by sea:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> TMA will be based on freight paid for a full Twenty-feet Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For export of products by air: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">TMA will be based on per ton freight charges on the net weight of the export cargo, calculated on the full ton basis.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Government will reimburse certain portion of freight charges and provide assistance for marketing of agricultural produce.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Level of financial assistance will be different for different regions and will be admissible for exports made through EDI (electronic data interchange) ports only.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The assistance will be admissible only if payments for exports are received in free foreign exchange through normal banking channels.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Assistance under it will be provided in cash through direct bank transfer as part reimbursement of freight paid. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FOB (freight on board) supplies where no freight is paid by Indian exporters are not covered under it.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Products which will not avail these benefits under it sugarcane or beet sugar and raw sugar, molasses, resins, gums, butter and other fats, milk and cream, live animals meat, beverages, spirits and vinegar and tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'transport-marketing-assistance-scheme-agriculture-products', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2494/y9arbp58l0t5qq56g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2494/y9arbp58l0t5qq56g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'TMA Scheme for Agriculture Products | Current Affairs Articles', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Transport and Marketing Assistance Scheme for Agriculture Products launched ', 'metadescription' => 'Union Ministry of Commerce has launched Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) Scheme for Specified Agriculture Products. It aims providing financial assistance for transport ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/f45ckhuoa05lfw1/6MAR_Transport_and_Marketing_Assistance.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 492, 'title' => 'GI tag accorded to five coffee varieties', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chennai based Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Coorg Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Geographical Indication tag is sign used on products that have specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation by virtue of their geographical association. It conveys assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to geographical origin of product. Owner of GI tag has exclusive rights over the product.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Coorg Arabica Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown specifically in Kodagu district in Karnataka. Its cultivation is integral part of lives of the people of Kodagu district and forms backbone of the local economy.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Kodagu district has unique biotic and abiotic conditions that provides uniqueness to Coffee grown in it. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The regions broader landscape terrain provides it unique aroma and flavour to the coffee when roasted.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Wayanad Robusta Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Coffee based farming system is notable feature of Wayanad in Kerala. Coffee is grown both as mixed crop along with pepper and as only pure crop.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Wayanad produces almost around 90% of Kerala’s Coffee produce and robusta coffee accounts for more than 95 percent of the total coffee cultivation.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Kerala’s coffee economy is highly correlated with coffee economy existing in Wayanad. </span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Both are grown in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka, which is also known as birthplace of coffee in the country.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total planted area of Arabica coffee in Chikmagalur region of Karnataka in the year 2016-17 was 17699 hectares. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee is grown specifically region is situated in central portion of Chikmagalur district.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown in higher elevation area Arabica and is known for its unique flavour and aroma. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is selectively hand</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria Math","serif"">-</span><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">picked and processes by natural fermentation. It exhibits mild flavor, full body, acidity and striking aroma with note of chocolate.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Araku Valley Arabica Coffee </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is grown around Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput district in Odisha.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is light to medium in strength and has pleasant acidity with citrus note of grape fruit and mild jiggery - like sweetness.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'gi-tag-accorded-to-five-coffee-varieties', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8151/45cgwywc38wy9w86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8151/45cgwywc38wy9w86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'GI tag accorded to five coffee varieties | Today Current Affairs', 'metakeyword' => 'Geographical Indication, GI tag, Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Coorg Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee, Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee', 'metadescription' => 'Chennai based Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Coorg Arabica Coffee', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/m67dvfkn69dqcyw/15_Mar_GI_tag_accorded_to_five_coffee.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 552, 'title' => 'Guatemala files complaint over India’s sugar subsidies at WTO', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala has initiated new dispute complaint against India over sugar subsidies provided to farmers at World Trade Organization (WTO), alleging that it is inconsistent with global trade rules. Brazil and Australia also have lodged their separate complaints at WTO on this matter. All these countries have alleged that continued sugar subsidies to farmers by India, world's second-largest sugar producer has led to "glut" and "depressed" global sugar prices. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala’s complaint</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Guatemala has sought consultations with India under rules and procedures governing settlement of disputes of WTO with respect to domestic support measures maintained by India in favour of producers of sugarcane and sugar, and export subsidies for sugarcane and sugar.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It claims that domestic support measures are inconsistent with India’s obligations under WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It also claims that export subsidies are inconsistent with India’s obligations under the AoA and Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement).</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India’s response</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has defended its position at WTO in informal discussions by explaining that most of its subsidies to sugar producers were in form of production subsidies that was permissible under the WTO. Besides, subsidies to exporters given for exports was for marketing and transportation purposes which, too are permitted by the WTO,</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Consultations Mechanism</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Seeking consultation is first step of dispute settlement process in WTO. If the two nations are not able to reach mutually agreed solution through consultation, either country may request for WTO dispute settlement panel to review the matter. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this dispute settlement mechanism, India now has to hold separate consultations with Australia, Brazil and Guatemala to listen to their concerns and explain its position. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">EU, Thailand and Costa Rica also have expressed their interest in participating in the consultations requested by Australia and Brazil with India as they were interested parties.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'guatemala-files-complaint-over-indias-sugar-subsidies-wto', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bc46/l3iw1yogda5flng6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bc46/l3iw1yogda5flng6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Guatemala files complaint over India’s sugar subsidies at WTO', 'metakeyword' => 'In Economy Current Affairs, Guatemala, new dispute complaint, against India, sugar subsidies, provided to farmers, World Trade Organization, WTO, global trade rules', 'metadescription' => 'Guatemala has initiated new dispute complaint against India over sugar subsidies to provided to farmers at World Trade Organization (WTO), alleging that it is inconsistent with global trade rules', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/oox58n9ndxq1aud/Guatemala_files_complaint.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 583, 'title' => 'Coffee Board launches blockchain based coffee e-marketplace', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Coffee Board in collaboration with Eka Plus has launched blockchain based coffee e-marketplace on pilot project basis. It will help to integrate farmers with markets in transparent manner and better fair price realisation for their coffee produce. Eka Plus is one of global leaders in digital commodity management platforms. Such blockchain based coffee e-marketplace platforms already have been launched in France and Ethopia.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Blockchain based coffee e-marketplace</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Stakeholder in coffee sector like coffee farmers, traders, exporters, coffee curers, rosters, importers and retailers need to register on this platform to make trade transactions. The credentials of coffee farmer such as place of coffee where it is grown, details of crops, certificates, elevation and other relevant information will be added on this platform. For each of lot the farmer sells on this blockchain platform, a unique block will be created for it. The credentials of each block will be stored on it throughout its journey.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to maintain traceability of Indian coffee from bean to cup. It will create brand image for Indian Coffee. It will reduce grower’s dependency on intermediaries by providing direct access to buyers. This ensure grower is paid fair price for his coffee produced.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help to reduce number of layers between coffee growers and buyers. It will help in finding right coffee suppliers for exporters and within stipulated time to meet growing demand. It will also help farmers to double their income. It will also bring transparency among coffee farmers and buyers.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'coffee-board-launches-blockchain-based-coffee-e-marketplace', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/30cf/4dkt5ae70jht3v56g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/30cf/4dkt5ae70jht3v56g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Coffee Board launches blockchain based coffee e-marketplace', 'metakeyword' => 'In Economy Current Affairs, Coffee Board, collaboration, Eka Plus, launched,blockchain, coffee e-marketplace, pilot project basis', 'metadescription' => 'Coffee Board in collaboration with Eka Plus has launched blockchain based coffee e-marketplace on pilot project basis', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/9u28wdmxh777xd9/Coffee_Board_launches.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 656, 'title' => 'Odisha’s Kandhamal Haldi accorded GI tag', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Kandhamal Haldi, a variety of indigenous turmeric grown only in southern Odisha, has received Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India. It has been placed under Class-30 type </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">trademark/GI for grains and agricultural, horticultural, and forestry products.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Kandhamal Haldi</span></span></span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This unique variety of turmeric is grown in Odisha's southern hinterland. It is key cash crop of tribal people from Kandhamal district of Odisha. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has multifaceted utility in food, medicine and cosmetics considering its unique aroma and color to food items and various cuisines.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has more oleo resin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties. This gives it strong aroma and has high medicinal value and healing properties.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Geographical Indication (GI)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is name or sign used on products which corresponds to specific geographical location or origin (can be town, region or country).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It acts as authenticity certification that product possesses certain qualities and is made according to traditional methods and enjoys certain reputation due to its geographical origin.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is accorded to natural, agricultural and manufactured goods (commodity) having special quality and established reputation.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is covered as element of <em>intellectual property rights (IPRs) under Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property.</em></span> </span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In India, GI recognition is valid for 10 years after which it needs to be renewed. It is governed and regulated Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act), 1999. This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (under Ministry of Commerce), who is also Registrar of GI.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Benefits of GI</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It gives GI accorded products complete exclusivity, ensuring that no one can use their name. It plays very important role to increase realm of market for the original product. It also indirectly leads to sustainable development, boosts exports as well tourism. It enables stakeholders to authenticate their production while earning premium and derive improved livelihood. Its violation is punishable offence under law.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'odisha-kandhamal-haldi-gi-tag', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/df22/jo2cgsqw8ohwtfa6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/df22/jo2cgsqw8ohwtfa6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Odisha’s Kandhamal Haldi accorded GI tag', 'metakeyword' => 'In Science and Technology Current Affairs, ', 'metadescription' => 'Kandhamal Haldi, a variety of indigenous turmeric grown only in southern Odisha, has received Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/2enu8jxpbez5r4s/Odisha_s_Kandhamal_Haldi.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 773, 'title' => 'Cabinet approves extension of New Urea Policy-2015', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister has approved extension of duration of New Urea Policy-2015 from April 1, 2019 till further orders. The extension of policy will facilitate in continuation of operations of urea plants and ensure regular supply of urea to the farmers.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The comprehensive New Urea Policy-2015 was approved in 2015 for period of four financial years (till 2019). The policy is aimed at maximising indigenous urea production to reduce import dependency and to reduce subsidy burden on the government. It also aimed at promoting energy efficiency in urea units to reduce Carbon-footprint to make Urea production environment friendly. India had imported around 59.75 lakh tonnes of urea in 2017-18 fiscal year to meet domestic demand. Besides, annual domestic production of urea is around 250 lakh tonnes.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cabinet-approves-extension-new-urea-policy-2015', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2736/m51ppa6f5r8l2fw6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2736/m51ppa6f5r8l2fw6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cabinet approves extension of New Urea Policy-2015', 'metakeyword' => 'In National Current Affairs CCEA, chaired, Prime Minister, approves, extension, duration, New Urea Policy-2015, April 1, 2019 till further order', 'metadescription' => 'CCEA chaired by Prime Minister has approved extension of duration of New Urea Policy-2015 from April 1, 2019 till further order', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/c9ma3fvabhr7cdv/Cabinet_approves.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 828, 'title' => 'Government extends ban on import of milk products from China', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China till laboratories at ports are upgraded for testing presence of toxic chemical melamine. The extension of ban was recommended by Food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical. However, FSSAI has not mentioned any timeline for upgradation of that capacity of all laboratories.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and was subsequently extended from time to time. The latest ban imposed by government ended 23 April 2019. The ban was imposed on apprehensions of presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China. Melamine is toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers. Although India does not import milk, milk products from China, the ban was imposed as a preventive measure.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India’s Milk Production</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is world's largest producer and consumer of milk. It produces around 150 million tonne milk annually. Uttar Pradesh is leading state in milk production followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-bans-import-milk-products-china', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ba7d/8vy2bndpcv2pw5o6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ba7d/8vy2bndpcv2pw5o6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Govt extends ban on import of milk products from China', 'metakeyword' => 'In National Current Affairs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, DGFT, extends, ban, import of milk, products, including chocolates, from China ', 'metadescription' => 'Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ru7m4y1z8sd10tm/Government_extends_ban.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1033, 'title' => 'Honey Mission: KVIC distributes more than one lakh bee-boxes', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has distributed more than one lakh bee-boxes among farmers and unemployed youths across the country in less than two years under its 'Honey Mission' initiative. So far, it has distributed 1,01,000 bee-boxes, which had happened for the first time in India. This has resulted in creation of more than 10,000 new jobs and around 25,000 additional man days through fabrication of bee boxes and honey extractors.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Honey Mission</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in August 2017 in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Sweet Revolution' in 2016.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, KVIC provide loans for setting up units of processing, packaging and labelling units for the honey. It also provides beekeepers practical training about examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apicultural equipments, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification, and management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objectives of Mission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) create an end-to-end implementation framework for beekeeping skill development, which provides employment opportunities and income generation to agriculturists, beekeepers, and rural and urban unemployed youths</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(ii) Enforce nationally acceptable standards of good beekeeping practices in the country.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(ii) Offer a passage for overseas market for hive products</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(iv) Tap local and rural natural resources for generation of income and employment to rural and tribal people in selected pockets.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">(v) Promote beekeeping for increasing the crop productivity and pollination services avenue for beekeepers and farmers.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mission’s Success claim</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: So far, it has helped to extract 246 metric tonnes of honey. Besides, it has helped farmers to increase yield by up to 30</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> after implementation of this mission.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Record:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> KVIC in May 2018 had created world record by giving away 1,000 bee boxes to Mishing tribe dwelling in the forests of Kaziranga, Assam. It had broke previous record of distributing 841 boxes, achieved by Israel in 2016.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'honey-mission-kvic-distributes-one-lakh-bee-boxes', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d723/87eq12jtuvcpvbf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d723/87eq12jtuvcpvbf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Honey Mission: KVIC distributes more than one lakh bee-boxes', 'metakeyword' => 'In Government Schemes Current Affairs, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC, distributed, one lakh bee-boxes, farmers ,unemployed youths, 'Honey Mission' initiative', 'metadescription' => 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC, distributed, one lakh bee-boxes, farmers ,unemployed youths, 'Honey Mission' initiative', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/g76go03ypm2ezdb/Honey_Mission.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 20 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1304, 'title' => 'Cabinet clears scheme for controlling foot & mouth diseases of animals', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Cabinet has approved proposal to bear the entire cost of Rs 13,343 crore under existing scheme that seeks to control livestock diseases, especially foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis common amongst livestock, in the next five years. This decision will benefit crores of farmers and improve the health of animals.</span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The scheme so far was implemented on cost-sharing basis between Central and State governments. Now, Central government has decided to bear entire cost of the programme</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In case of FMD: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The scheme envisages vaccination coverage to 30 crore bovines (cows-bulls and buffaloes) and 20 crore sheep/goat and 1 crore pigs at six months’ interval along with primary vaccination in bovine calves.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Incase Brucellosis control programme:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will be extended to cover 100</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">vaccination coverage of 3.6 crore female calves.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Threats of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">These diseases are very common amongst livestock – buffaloes, cow-bulls, sheep, goats, pigs etc. If a cow/buffalo gets infected with FMD, milk loss is upto 100</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> which could last for four to six months. In case of Brucellosism the milk output reduces by 30</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">, during the entire life cycle of animal. Besides, Brucellosis also causes infertility amongst animals. The infection of brucellosis can also be transmitted to farm workers and livestock owners.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cabinet-scheme-foot-mouth-diseases', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6bce/i7ykdv5308xikzy6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6bce/i7ykdv5308xikzy6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cabinet clears scheme for controlling foot & mouth diseases', 'metakeyword' => 'Union Cabinet has approved proposal to bear the entire cost of Rs 13,343 crore under existing scheme that seeks to control livestock diseases, especially foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis ', 'metadescription' => 'Union Cabinet has approved proposal to bear the entire cost of Rs 13,343 crore under existing scheme that seeks to control livestock diseases, especially foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ubxguoe8esl1u32/Cabinet_clears_scheme_for_controlling_foot_%26_mouth_diseases_of_animals.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 21 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1316, 'title' => 'PM-KISAN Scheme extended to all farmers', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Union Cabinet has approved to comprehensively extend ambit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana to all farmers across the country irrespective of landing holding limit. With this decision, all land holding eligible farmer families (subject to the prevalent exclusion criteria) will avail of the benefits under this scheme. This scheme was launched to assured farm support to estimated 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers holding land up to 2 hectares. Now, the revised scheme envisages to cover around 2 crore more farmers increasing its coverage to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries. This is expected cost Government around Rs 87,000 crore a year, up from earlier entailed annual expenditure of Rs.75,000 crore.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is farm support scheme announced interim Budget for the year 2019-2020. It aimed at addressing farm sector in crisis by providing an assured income support to small and marginal farmers.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Intended Beneficiaries:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Vulnerable landholding farmers having cultivable land upto 2 hectares (now expanded to all farmers). It is expected to benefit around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families. It will enable farmers to earn and live respectable living.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will provide vulnerable landholding farmers direct income support of Rs. 6000 per year. This income support will be transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in three 4-monthly equal instalments of Rs. 2,000 each over the year through Direct Benefit Transfer mode.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is entirely funded by Central Government. </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'pm-kisan-scheme-extended-to-all-farmers', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b208/001fq61db01kfbw6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b208/001fq61db01kfbw6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'PM-KISAN Scheme extended to all farmers', 'metakeyword' => 'Union Cabinet,extends, ambit Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM-KISAN Yojana, to all farmers across the country ', 'metadescription' => 'Union Cabinet has approved to comprehensively extend ambit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana to all farmers across the country ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/7pcbqknxdjiy66a/PM-KISAN_Scheme_extended_to_all_farmers_compressed.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 22 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1306, 'title' => 'Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana, a new Central Sector Scheme, to provide pension cover to farmers. </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Salient features</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Beneficiary:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is a voluntary and contributory pension (social security) scheme for all Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) across the country. Beneficiary will be provided minimum fixed pension of Rs.3,000 on attaining the age of 60 years. SMF can avail benefits of this scheme at entry age of 18 to 40 years.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Contributions:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Beneficiary farmer is required to contribute Rs 100 per month at median entry age of 29 years. Central Government shall also contribute to Pension Fund an equal amount as contributed by the eligible farmer.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">SMF can opt to allow his/her monthly contribution to this scheme to be made from the benefits drawn from the PM-KISAN Scheme directly.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Alternatively,SMF can pay his monthly contribution by registering through Common Service Centres (CSCs) under Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transferability:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> After subscriber’s death spouse of SMF beneficiary shall be entitled to receive 50</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> of pension received by beneficiary as family pension, provided he/she is not beneficiary of this scheme.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This is for first time since independence that such pension coverage has been envisioned for farmers. It is estimated to benefit around 5 crore small and marginal farmers within first three years of implementation. This scheme, in addition to PM-KISAN monetary support will ease economic burden on small and medium farmers and lead to greater efficiency. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cabinet-pradhan-mantri-kisan-pension-yojana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6c73/7x3ri22rhcp16n66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6c73/7x3ri22rhcp16n66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana', 'metakeyword' => 'In National Current Affairs, Union Cabinet,approves, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana, new Central Sector Scheme, provide pension cover, small and marginal farmers.', 'metadescription' => 'Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana, a new Central Sector Scheme, to provide pension cover to farmers.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/xopw07wloe90x86/Union_Cabinet_approves_Pradhan_Mantri_Kisan_Pension_Yojana2_compressed.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 23 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1505, 'title' => 'Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Government allocates funds for establishment of Gokul Grams', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has sanctioned funds under RashtriyaGokul Mission for setting up of 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres. So far four Gokul grams (Varanasi, Mathura, Patiala and Phora) have been completed and work is under progress in remaining 17 gokul grams. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About RashtriyaGokul Mission</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It aims at conserving and developing indigenous breeds in focused and scientific manner and e</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">nhance the productivity of the indigenous </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">breeds of India through professional farm management. It comprises of two components namely National Programme for Bovine Breeding (NPBB) and National Mission on Bovine Productivity (NMBP).</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objectives of Misssion:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) Develope and conserve indigenous breeds (ii) Undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds for improving genetic makeup and increase stock. (iii) Enhance milk production and productivity. (iv) Upgrade nondescript cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi, Deoni, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar,(v) Distribute disease free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Implementation:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is implemented through State Implementing Agency (SIA viz Livestock Development Boards). State Gauseva Ayogs are mandated to sponsor proposals to SIA’s (LDB’s) and monitor implementation of sponsored proposal. Besides, all Agencies having role in indigenous cattle development are “Participating Agencies” like CCBFs, CFSPTI, ICAR, Universities, Colleges, NGO’s, Cooperative Societies and Gaushalas with best germplasm.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Gokul Gram</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres for breeding tracts of indigenous breeds. Gokul Grams is established (i) native breeding tracts and (ii) near metropolitan cities for housing the urban cattle. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It act as Centres for development of Indigenous Breeds and a dependable source for supply of high genetic breeding stock to the farmers in the breeding tract. It also functions as state of the art in situ training centre for Farmers, Breeders and MAITRI’s. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It seeks to be self sustaining and generate economic resources from sale of A2 milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates, and production of electricity from bio gas for in house consumption and sale of animal products. </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-allocates-funds-establishment-gokul-grams', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ee81/dqkjkn7r6zn22076g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ee81/dqkjkn7r6zn22076g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Govt allocates funds for establishment of Gokul Grams', 'metakeyword' => 'Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has sanctioned funds under RashtriyaGokul Mission for setting up of 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres', 'metadescription' => 'Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has sanctioned funds under RashtriyaGokul Mission for setting up of 21 Gokul Grams as Integrated Cattle Development Centres', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/17968e8bk45iza7/Rashtriya_Gokul_Mission_Government.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 24 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1629, 'title' => '1st India International Cooperatives Trade Fair held in New Delhi', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 11 July to 13 October 2019. It is aligned with Agriculture Export Policy 2018, which aims at doubling agriculture export and integrating Indian farmers and agriculture products with global value chains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It aims at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity. It will see participation of Indian and International Cooperative Organisation.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will be organized by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) with support of one international organization (NEDAC), three ministries, four state governments and several apex levels Indian cooperative organizations.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The fair will provide immense opportunity for industry and business houses from India and abroad to build alliances, business networking, product sourcing and above all, interacting with the primary producers of a wide range of products and service providers.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will serve as major platform to promote exports by cooperatives so that direct benefits to farmers, artisans, women, and people coming from SC/ST communities can be ensured.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'inida-international-cooperatives-trade-fair', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a18d/ro077mn4l728sf96g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a18d/ro077mn4l728sf96g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'India International Cooperatives Trade Fair held in ND', 'metakeyword' => 'The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 11 July to 13 October 2019', 'metadescription' => 'The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 11 July to 13 October 2019', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/wj2fnoa0nu78eay/1st_India_International_Cooperatives.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 25 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1641, 'title' => 'CCEA hikes MSP of all Kharif Crops', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minster has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all kharif crops for 2019-20 Season. The decision will lead to increased investment and production through assured remunerative prices to the farmers. The increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for 2019-20 season is in line with principle of fixing MSPs at a level of atleast 1.5 times of all India weighted average Cost of production, which was announced in the last budget 2018-19. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Increased MSP of Crops:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> For paddy it has been increased by Rs.65 per quintal, Jowar by Rs. 120, Ragi by Rs.253, Tur by Rs. 125, Moong by Rs. 75, Urad pulses by Rs.100, Soyabean by Rs. 311, sunflower by Rs. 262 and sesamum by Rs. 236. The highest percentage return to farmers over their cost of production is for Bajra (85%) followed by urad (64%) and tur (60%). </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Minimum Support Price (MSP) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is form of agricultural market intervention undertaken by Union Government in order to insure agricultural producers from any sharp fall in farm prices. It is announced for certain crops by Government prior to sowing season. The prices are decided by CCEA on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance of MSP mechanism:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is implemented across country as nearly 86% farmers are in small and marginal category (Agriculture Census 2015-16) and ensures equity. It also helps in stabilising prices in the market and thus services the consumers as well. It also incentivize cultivators to adopt modern technology and raise productivity and overall production in line with the emerging demand patterns in the country.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'ccea-hikes-msp-all-kharif-crops', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c202/tvdyj2038108q4h6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c202/tvdyj2038108q4h6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CCEA hikes MSP of all Kharif Crops', 'metakeyword' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minster has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all kharif crops for 2019-20 Season', 'metadescription' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minster has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all kharif crops for 2019-20 Season', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/0qz9efn8ig1h00w/CCEA_hikes_MSP_of_all_Kharif_Crops.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 26 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1653, 'title' => 'Haryana Government launches Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Haryana government has launched ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal to enable farmers to report their land and crop details. The online portal will also help them receive the benefits of several government schemes directly. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It brings together departments of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, revenue, food civil supplies and consumer affairs and science and technology on single platform for betterment of the farmers. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It mandates farmers from the state to upload details about crops sown in their field on the portal at nearby Common Service Centres (CSCs) or Atal Seva Kendras or with the help of VLEs by end of July. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also mandates farmers to fill the details about the non-cultivated land in case he has not sown any crop yet. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Financial incentive</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: Farmers on registering themselves on this portal will be provided with incentive of Rs 10 per acre or part thereof, subject to minimum of Rs. 20 to maximum Rs 50. This amount will be directly deposited in farmer’s bank accounts. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits of portal:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It will make the distribution of seeds, fertilizers and farm loans more transparent and easy. It will enable farmers to avail the subsidy on agriculture implements easily. It will also make damage assessment during natural calamities and disbursal of relief in cases of crop damage easier. It will also provide information related to sowing, harvesting season and mandi on real time basis.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'haryana-launches-meri-fasal-mera-byora-portal', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b978/ke0jj0tjzw5ech36g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b978/ke0jj0tjzw5ech36g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Haryana launches Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal', 'metakeyword' => 'Haryana government has launched ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal to enable farmers to report their land and crop details. The online portal will also help them receive the benefits of several government schemes directly.', 'metadescription' => 'Haryana government has launched ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal to enable farmers to report their land and crop details. The online portal will also help them receive the benefits of several government schemes directly.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/p2d2q4nyvzedaph/Haryana_Government_launches.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 27 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1698, 'title' => 'Phase-II of DBT of Fertilizer Subsidy launched', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched Phase-II of the Direct Benefit Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy (DBT 2.0). As part of second phase, three new technology initiatives have been launched which are aimed at further improving the DBT system </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">New initiatives of DBT 2.0 are as under:</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">DBT Dashboards: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">These dashboards provide various reports regarding Fertilizer Stock position at ports, plants, in States, at District levels. It will facilitate real-time monitoring of the availability and sale of fertilizers within each State/UT. It will also facilitate accurate information gathering and decision-making w.r.t. position of requirement/supply/availability of various fertilizers at National, State and District levels,</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">PoS 3.0 Software:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is multi-lingual facility would provide Aadhar virtual ID option for registration, login and sale activity in DBT software. It also has provision for area-specific, crop-specific recommendations based on Soil Health Card (SHC) data. It will capture sale to farmers, mixture manufacturers, planter association separately.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Desktop PoS Version:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is multilingual desktop version of PoS software that will serve as an alternative or added facility to PoS devices. Retailers with laptops and computer systems can use high-speed broadband service for fertilizer sales. It is also more robust and secure. It is developed and handled directly from the central HQ team at DoF.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Department of Fertilizers (DoF) has implemented Phase-I of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system in fertilizer (DBT 1.0) from March 2018. It is aimed at ease of living in the lives of farmers through use of modern technology and plugging leakages, pilferages and black marketing. It is envisaged release of 100% subsidy on various fertilizer grades to fertilizer companies on basis of actual sales made by retailer to beneficiaries. Project Monitoring Cell was set up at DoF to oversee implementation of DBT exclusively. Central Government bears over Rs 70,000 crore annually as fertiliser subsidy to give cheaper farm nutrient to farmers. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'phase-2-db-fertilizer-subsidy-launched', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e745/bkgn4i0c72liv5x6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e745/bkgn4i0c72liv5x6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Phase-II of DBT of Fertilizer Subsidy launched', 'metakeyword' => 'Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched Phase-II of the Direct Benefit Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy (DBT 2.0)', 'metadescription' => 'Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched Phase-II of the Direct Benefit Transfer of Fertilizer Subsidy (DBT 2.0)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/86pbbb3mm2uxv3p/Phase-II_of_DBT_of_Fertilizer_Subsidy_launche.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 28 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1706, 'title' => 'Agri-Business Incubation Centre launched in Chhattisgarh', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Agri Business Incubation Centre at Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It has been set up under National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chhattisgarh</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will focus on innovations, skill building and entrepreneurs development in agriculture and allied sectors. It will also act as catalyst for developing an ecosystem conducive for growth of agripreneurship in the state and foster a “start-up” culture.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Its full form is Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR).</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">To make farming remunerative economic activity through strengthening farmer’s efforts, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. To empower youth through skill development, innovation and agrientrepreneurship based business models</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It provides states with considerable flexibility and autonomy for planning and executing programs. State Agriculture Departments act as Nodal Implementing Agency. It will incentivize states to increase allocations for agriculture and allied sectors and help in creation of post-harvest infrastructure and promotion of private investment in farm sector across the country.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Funding:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is provided to States as 60:40 grants between Centre and States (90:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States).</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Sub-schemes under RKVY-RAFTAAR:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> (i) Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India. (ii) Crop Diversification Program (iii) Reclamation of Problem Soil. (iv) Foot & Mouth Disease Control Program (FMD-CP). (v) Saffron Mission and (vi) Accelerated Fodder Development Programme (AFDP). </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'agri-business-incubation-centre', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a30b/kdtg8wdqxxfahtk6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a30b/kdtg8wdqxxfahtk6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Agri-Business Incubation Centre launched in Chhattisgarh', 'metakeyword' => 'Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Agri Business Incubation Centre at Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It has been set up under National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR.', 'metadescription' => 'nion Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched Agri Business Incubation Centre at Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It has been set up under National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/7r2mn1ib219hs60/Agri-Business_Incubation_Centre.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 29 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1784, 'title' => 'CCEA approves creation of 40 lakh metric tonne sugar buffer stock', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar for one year. This decision is aimed to help stabilise sugar prices and assist sugar mill owners in clearing dues of cane farmers. It will cost the exchequer Rs 1,674 crore. Last year, Central Government had created 30 LMT buffer stock of sugar for a one-year period from July 1, 2018.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The decisions will lead to improvement in the liquidity of sugar mills, reduction in sugar inventores, stabilization in sugar prices by alleviating of price sentiments in domestic sugar market and thereby facilitate timely clearance of cane price dues of farmers and benefit sugar mills in all sugarcane producing States by clearing sugarcane price arrears of sugar mills</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> <strong>Background</strong></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Series of bumper sugarcane harvests over past few years (season 2017-18, 2018-19), combined with higher rates of sugar recovery from sugar cane has resulted in glut in production ovrrshooting domestic demand. It has led to crash in retail prices. At the same time, Central Government has been regularly increasing Fair and Remunerative Price. As a result, payment arrears to farmers from sugar mills had shot up to Rs.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">25,000 crore earlier this year, and are still above the Rs.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">15,000 crore mark.</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> In the wake of glut in sugar production and over-leveraged position in the industry and liquidity crunch, Government has taken series of interventions from time to time to improve liquidity of the sugar mills enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers and also to stabilize sugar prices in the domestic market. Buffer subsidy scheme is one such measure, where government creates buffer stock of sugar for one.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => '40-lakh-metric-tonne-sugar-buffer-stock', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/406e/ep8eawp1c1fjs4t6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/406e/ep8eawp1c1fjs4t6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CCEA approves 40 lakh metric tonne sugar', 'metakeyword' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar for one year', 'metadescription' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar for one year', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/97mr4ger1cot1ge/CCEA_approves_creation_of_40_lakh.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 30 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 1781, 'title' => 'CCEA approves FRP for sugarcane for 2019-20 season', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved determination of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar mills for 2019-20 sugar season. It is based on recommendation of Commission of Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) as per its report of August 2018 on price policy for sugarcane for the 2019-20 season. CACP has recommended the same price for 2019-20 sugar season as it was for the sugar season 2018-19. It will ensure a guaranteed price to cane growers. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is the minimum price that sugar mills have to pay to sugarcane farmers. It assures margins to farmers, irrespective of whether sugar mills generate a profit or not. It is fixed by Central government on basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and after consultation with State Governments and other stake-holders. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is determined under Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966. It is arrived by taking into account various factors such as cost of production, inter-crop price parity, overall demand-supply situation,domestic and international prices, terms of trade prices of primary by-products and its impact on general price level and resource use efficiency.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'ccea-frp-sugarcane-2019-20-season', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ee7a/ljy8bxbqegnxmwi6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ee7a/ljy8bxbqegnxmwi6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CCEA approves FRP for sugarcane for 2019-20 season', 'metakeyword' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved determination of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar mills for 2019-20 sugar season', 'metadescription' => 'Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved determination of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar mills for 2019-20 sugar season', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/k35fsl0fi0qpwha/CCEA_approves_FRP_for_sugarcane.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 31 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 2158, 'title' => 'Zero Budget Natural Farming', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s premier academic body of agricultural scientists has critisised Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), terming it as an “unproven” technology bringing no incremental value gain to either farmers or consumers.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This issue comes into limelight as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 14th Conference of Parties to the <strong>UN Convention to Combat Desertification</strong> mentioned that India is focusing on ZBNF as an alternative farming mechanism.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details of ZBNF</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ZBNF’s basic concept is that over 98 per cent of the nutrients required by crops for photosynthesis ,carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water and solar energy are already supplied free from the air, rains and sun.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Only the remaining 1.5-2 per cent nutrients need to be taken from the soil and converted from “non-available” to “available” form (for intake by the roots) through the action of microorganisms.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers must apply ‘<strong>Jiwamrita</strong>’ (microbial culture) and ‘<strong>Bijamrita</strong>’ (seed treatment solution), besides ‘<strong>Mulching</strong>’ (covering plants with a layer of dried straw or fallen leaves) and ‘<strong>Waaphasa</strong>’ (giving water outside the plant’s canopy) to maintain the right soil temperature-moisture-air balance and enable the microorganisms do their jobs.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">For insect and pest management, ZBNF recommends use of ‘<strong>Agniastra</strong>’, ‘<strong>Brahmastra</strong>’ and ‘<strong>Neemastra</strong>’, which, like ‘Jiwamrita’ and ‘Bijamrita’, are mixtures based mainly on urine and dung from desi cows.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Since these also do not have to be purchased, it makes farming practically “zero-budget”.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Drawbacks of technology</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Plant growth and crop yields require nitrogen, which is a major component of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Being non-reactive, atmospheric nitrogen has to be fixed into a plant-usable form such as ammonia or urea.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This technique does not mention the method to supplement for nitogen, which has to be applied externally through fertilisers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There has not been widespread trials, which can throw light on its overall impact.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'zero-budget-natural-farming', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/55b4/pv6asj5t9bpdst46g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/55b4/pv6asj5t9bpdst46g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Zero Budget Natural Farming', 'metakeyword' => 'Plant growth and crop yields require nitrogen, which', 'metadescription' => 'Plant growth and crop yields require nitrogen, which is a major component of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Being non-reactive, ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/hmi6mwgp1crwrzb/Zero_Budget_Natural_Farming.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 32 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 2169, 'title' => 'National animal disease control program', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Animal Disease Control programme as well as the National Artificial Insemination Programme in Mathura.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Animal rearing is a very profitable profession in rural economies. But susception to diseases to animals can cause losses. To prevent infection in animals, programs such as this has been undertaken.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">the programme aims at vaccinating over 500 Million Livestock against the Foot and Mouth Disease. It is being funded entirely by the central government ith a budget of Rs 12,652 crores for a period of 5 years.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The programme also aims at vaccinating 36 Million Female Bovine Calves annually in its fight against the Bruce-llosis disease.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Programme has two components ,to control the diseases by 2025 and their eradication by 2030.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The launch of the National Animal Disease Control Programme will take the country into a mission mode to save and nurture livestock, Indian farmers most valuable source of additional income.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This step is in line with government’s aim of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. The supplementary income to be generated will be through livestock rearing.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'national-animal-disease-control-program', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6152/5h3pytvqookt3wl6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6152/5h3pytvqookt3wl6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'National animal disease control program', 'metakeyword' => 'The launch of the National Animal Disease Control Programme will take the country into a mission mode to save and nurture livestock, Indian farmers most ', 'metadescription' => 'The launch of the National Animal Disease Control Programme will take the country into a mission mode to save and nurture livestock, Indian farmers most ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/mm5fj70n1rkt6iz/National_animal_disease_control_program.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 33 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 2593, 'title' => 'PM KISAN scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said that government should extend its PM KISAN scheme to landless rural labourers along with the already existing land owning marginal and small farmers.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The PM KISAN scheme was introduced in the last budget, when the agricultural sector was undergoing enormous stress due to failure of agricultural economy owing to climatic factors as well as reducing demands for produce.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is an initiative by the government of India in which all small and marginal farmers will get up to ?6,000 per year as minimum income support. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The 6,000 per year amount will be paid to each eligible farmer in three instalments and will be deposited directly to their bank accounts.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Eligibility</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the database, the land owner's name, gender.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Social Classification (Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Tribes).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Aadhaar number, bank account number and mobile number etc.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Imitation of agricultural land Khatauni imitation.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Jan Dhan Bank Account Number, Aadhaar and Mobile Number will help in identifying eligible beneficiaries and incompetent claimants.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scheme is sponsored by the Central Government. Therefore, the farmers have to be citizens of the country.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Drawbacks</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While PM-KISAN aims to cover small and marginal farmers (85% of farmer population), landless agricultural labourers and tenant farmers are left in the lurch.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The situation in the north-eastern States, as land ownership rights in the region are community-based, making it difficult to identify beneficiaries.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of proper maintaining database for land records.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It would provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, particularly before the harvest season.</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'pm-kisan-scheme', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/832d/e0tuy0mpy7ekrfi6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/832d/e0tuy0mpy7ekrfi6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'PM KISAN scheme', 'metakeyword' => 'PM KISAN scheme', 'metadescription' => 'Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee has said that government should extend its PM KISAN scheme to landless rural labourers', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ogbg4fh1l6grwlj/PM_KISAN_scheme.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 34 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 2882, 'title' => 'Pesticides exposure among tea workers can affect DNA', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Reports published by a research team points out that chronic exposure to the mixture of pesticides has led to changes in the DNA and also decreased certain enzyme activity of tea garden workers.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The team used a special study called comet assay which helps assess DNA damage and found that individuals exposed to pesticides had significantly higher value of certain parameters which suggest damage compared to control subjects.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Detailed analysis showed that the estate workers both men and women, irrespective of whether they smoked or consumed alcohol, showed decrease in enzyme activity, especially enzymes AChE and BuChE.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">AChE is known to be target of most organophosphates. AChE terminates synaptic (neuron to neuron) transmission, preventing continuous nerve firings at nerve endings. Organophosphorous pesticides bind to this site and inactivate the enzymes.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the long run, these may even cause other neurological complications. Some studies have pointed out that herbicide and fungicide exposure is associated with Parkinson’s disease too.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The research shows that the damage might be the due to single strand DNA breaks, or any disorder of the DNA or DNA-DNA or DNA-protein cross-links. This damage was found to be independent of sex, age, or duration of exposure.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The researchers note that the workers were not wearing any protective gear such as masks, gloves and boots.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The men who were mostly sprayers inhaled and also contacted the pesticide through their skin. The female workers also came into direct skin contact and has residues on their clothes.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The team also warns of second-hand contact where the family can also be exposed if the workers don’t clean up properly before going home.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Tea growing regions</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'pesticides-exposure-among-tea-workers-can-affect-dna', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/fca5/727bm7bwez24ls26g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/fca5/727bm7bwez24ls26g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Pesticides exposure among tea workers can affect DNA', 'metakeyword' => 'value of certain parameters which suggest damage', 'metadescription' => 'The team used a special study called comet assay which helps assess DNA damage and found that individuals exposed to pesticides had significantly higher ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/ovwpc9vggyla90l/Pesticides_exposure_among_tea_workers_can_affect_DNA.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 35 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 2985, 'title' => 'Government procures only 3% of targeted pulses under PM-AASHA scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Less than 3% of this season’s sanctioned amount of pulses and oilseeds have been procured so far under the PM-AASHA scheme, according to data from Agricultural ministry.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A total of 37.59 lakh metric tonnes of procurement had been sanctioned under the Centrally funded scheme. However, only 1.08 lakh tonnes have been procured so far.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The PM-AASHA or Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan, was announced as an effort to ensure that farmers growing pulses, oilseeds and copra actually get the minimum support prices they are promised for their crops each year.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from initiatives to allow cash payment to farmers or procurement by private traders, PM-AASHA’s main feature was a price support scheme whereby Central agencies would procure pulses and oilseeds directly from farmers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre had budgeted 15,053 crore over two years to implement the scheme apart from an additional government credit guarantee of 16,550 crore for agencies undertaking procurement.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The main crops covered under the scheme this season are moong, urad, arhar, groundnut and soyabean. The late arrival of the monsoon means that harvests and crop arrivals also began slightly later than expected.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The highest procurement so far has taken place in Rajasthan, where more than 51,000 tonnes of moong and groundnut have been procured, against a total sanctioned amount of 9.6 lakh tonnes.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>PM- AASHA scheme</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is aimed towards ensuring remunerative prices to farmers for their produce.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The three components outlined under the scheme is thus aimed towards enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing cost of cultivation which will enable boosting and securing farmer’s income in the long run.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Price Support Scheme (PSS)</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of PM AASHA</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Price Support Scheme (PSS) promises to provide assured price for farmers and protect them from making distress sale during bumper harvest. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scheme proposes to strengthen physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">State governments will be entrusted with the responsibility of deciding the type and quantity of the crop to be procured when wholesale prices fall below MSP.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When markets have failed miserably to pull out farmers from the perpetual indebtedness over the years, the launch of PM-AASHA can be seen as the dawn of new market architecture.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-procures-only-3-of-targeted-pulses', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3f2b/vifehj1fpc6vzfd6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3f2b/vifehj1fpc6vzfd6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Government procures only 3% of targeted pulses', 'metakeyword' => 'Government procures only 3% of targeted pulses under PM-AASHA scheme', 'metadescription' => 'Less than 3% of this season’s sanctioned amount of pulses and oilseeds have been procured so far under the PM-AASHA scheme, according to data', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/4nlowt40ocncmz8/Government_procures_only.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 36 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 3721, 'title' => 'Pesticide free Kinnow crop', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Punjab Agri Export Corporation recently launched the ‘Punjab Kinnow’ brand at the kinnow festival in Abohar. This brand of kinnow, which is considered the ‘king fruit’ of Punjab, is also said to be “pesticide-free”.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">However, the kinnow is a year-long crop, often attacked by pests including mites at various stages, requiring several sprays of insecticide.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Branding the crop has been done along the lines of the region-specific branding of several other fruits like the ‘Nagpur orange’ (which even has a GI tag) and ‘Australian kiwi’. Punjab being the largest producer of kinnow in the country, such branding will attract more consumers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s kinnow has several nutritive values including limonin, which helps control cholesterol level and has anti-<a href="https://indianexpress.com/about/cancer/">cancer</a> properties, which the consumer should be informed.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pest attacks and diseases</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Over a dozen types of insects and pests attack the kinnow plant’s leaves, stem and fruit through the year.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Psylla</strong> attacks the crop almost throughout the year till a month before harvesting in March-April, July-August and September-October. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Leaf Minor</strong> attacks the crop from April to mid-June and in the first week of November, a month before harvesting. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Whitefly </strong>and<strong> blackfly attack</strong> in April-May and September-October, while Black Citrus and Black Citrus Aphids are active August to October.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The <strong>Citrus Thrips</strong> has been known to prey on the plant from March to April, and the <strong>Citrus mite</strong> in May-June, August- September.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The kinnow plant is also vulnerable to the <strong>Fruit Sucking bug, Mealybugs, Fruit Flies, Lemon butterfly</strong> etc. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are around 10 diseases like <strong>foot rot of plant, Fruit Drop, Citrus Canker, Citrus Scab, Sooty Mould Ring Spot, Greening, Citrus Tristeza, Die Back</strong>, etc. which attack both plant and fruit.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Fewer pests attack the kinnow plant so there is hardly any use of pesticide on it and it can be called ‘pesticide free’, but the attack of insects including thrips and whitefly are quite frequent, which need to be controlled through controlled use of insecticides.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Because of these natural climatic conditions farmers are not required to spray any insecticides from November to mid-February and this makes kinnow safe for consumption.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'pesticide-free-kinnow-crop', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5024/rfho7102675f0u96g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5024/rfho7102675f0u96g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Pesticide free Kinnow crop', 'metakeyword' => 'Pesticide free Kinnow crop', 'metadescription' => 'The Punjab Agri Export Corporation recently launched the ‘Punjab Kinnow’ brand at the kinnow festival in Abohar. This brand of kinnow, which is considered', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/uur8lbj92mri2sk/Pesticide_free_Kinnow_crop.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 37 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 3730, 'title' => 'Changes in crop insurance', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre decided to restrict its premium subsidy in its flagship crop insurance schemes to 30% for unirrigated areas and 25% for irrigated areas (from the existing unlimited).</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While the average premium rate under PMFBY and RWBCIS at the national level was 12.32% for 2018-19, for some crops in certain districts, the rate of premium has been higher than 30% in recent years.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also decided to make enrolment of farmers in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) voluntary from the 2020 Kharif season.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, under PMFBY and RWBCIS, farmers pay a premium of 2% of the sum insured for all foodgrains and oilseeds crops of Kharif, 1.5% for all foodgrains and oilseeds crops of Rabi, and 5% for all horticultural crops. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The difference between actuarial premium rate and the rate of insurance premium payable by farmers, which is called the Rate of Normal Premium Subsidy, is shared equally between the Centre and the states.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One interpretation of this decision is that the burden of premium subsidy will go up for the states. For example, in the old regime, if a farmer’s Kharif crop was insured for Rs 1,00,000 and the rate of actuarial premium was 40%, then the premium paid by the farmer was 2% (Rs 2,000), and the remaining premium was shared by the Centre and the state equally (19% or Rs 19,000).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the new regime, for the same sum insured (Rs 1,00,000) and the same rate of premium (40%), the Centre will give subsidy for premium rates up to 30%. This means that from the Kharif 2020 season , the Centre will have to pay premium at the rate of 14% (out of 30%, the farmer’s share is 2%, and the Centre’s and state’s 14% each) instead of the 19% it paid (out of 40%) in the last Kharif season.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state has to bear the entire burden of the premium subsidy in cases where the rate of premium goes beyond the threshold of 30%.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">By capping the subsidy for premium rates up to 30%, the Centre wants to disincentivise certain crops in such areas where growing these crops involve high risks in terms of crop insurance premiums.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">That move will lead to a rise in the rates of premium, as the area covered under insurance and the number of enrolled farmers are expected to come down significantly. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As of now the schemes are compulsory for all loanee farmers and optional for other farmers. Non-loanee farmers under the crop insurance schemes are much fewer than loanee farmers. If the latter opt out of the schemes, the number of insured farmers will drastically come down.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'changes-in-crop-insurance', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9082/izlsdyyitgg7azt6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9082/izlsdyyitgg7azt6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Changes in crop insurance', 'metakeyword' => 'Changes in crop insurance', 'metadescription' => 'The Centre decided to restrict its premium subsidy in its flagship crop insurance schemes to 30% for unirrigated areas and 25% for irrigated areas (from the existing unlimited).', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/0wbnomzmrwuuj0y/Changes_in_crop_insurance.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 38 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 4454, 'title' => 'How COVID-19 flattened prices of agri-commodities', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While there is debate on how much the lockdown has helped in flattening the Covid-19 curve, one thing is clear: It has led to a flattening of prices through a leftward shift in the demand curve.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The best way to illustrate this is through two agricultural commodities, potato and milk, that were experiencing significant production shortfalls. In ordinary circumstances, it would have resulted in prices shooting up at this time. Instead, they have remained flat or even collapsed, thanks to the demand destruction from lockdown.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Till early-April, when the lockdown’s impact was still to kick in, mota aloo or regular large potato was selling from Agra’s cold storage units at around Rs 21 per kg. But it is now fetching Rs 18. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With hotels, restaurants and street food joints shuts and no weddings or other public functions taking place, consumption of potato-based snacks has taken a beating. Lower demand has, hence, caused prices to fall.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The above price decline, though, isn’t the usual one that economists term “movement along the demand curve”. Such movement involves a reduction/increase in quantity demanded only on account of an increase/decrease in price, and vice versa. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">What is being seen now, however, is the demand curve itself “shifting”. That, in turn, is due to the collapse of institutional or business demand for potatoes. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The leftward shift in the demand curve is even more obvious vis-à-vis milk. 2019-20 saw India’s milk production, perhaps, fall for the first time in decades. Till mid-March, there was talk of the country actually having to import up to one lakh tonnes of skimmed milk powder (SMP).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Those prices have not just flattened, but crashed to Rs 170 and Rs 230/kg levels. Many dairies have further slashed procurement prices.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">That, again, is the fallout of no institutional demand, whether from tea stalls and ice-cream makers or suppliers of khoa/chenna to sweetmeat sellers. In other words, it is a “shift” and not mere “movement” along the same demand curve.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'how-covid-19-flattened-prices-of-agri-commodities', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d159/yrf1c60lxlctegu6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d159/yrf1c60lxlctegu6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'How COVID-19 flattened prices of agri-commodities', 'metakeyword' => 'How COVID-19 flattened prices of agri-commodities', 'metadescription' => 'While there is debate on how much the lockdown has helped in flattening the Covid-19 curve, one thing is clear: It has led to a flattening of prices through a leftward', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/9crkjlx1wwggdo8/2.How_COVID-19_flattened_prices_of_agri-commodities.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 39 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 4703, 'title' => 'Direct Benefit Transfer of power subsidy', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A new bill by the Punjab Government has proposed providing subsidy on power to farmers through Direct Benefit of Transfer (DBT), which would be different from the prevailing ‘free power’ system.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts and farmers say that under the garb of DBT, it is a move to stop the free power supply to them. So, a big challenge lies ahead for the Punjab government.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, Punjab is supplying free power to 14.16 lakh electricity-run tubewells of the agriculture sector which are getting power through 5,900 Agricultural Pumpset Feeders (APFs). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These APFs are metered and the Punjab State Power Corporation charges the state government Rs 5.26 per unit for consumed units recorded in metered APFs. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are no individual meters installed on every tubewell in Punjab, which is among the first states to separate agriculture sector feeders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers are getting power supply for their Kharif and Rabi crops from these feeders as per the recommendations of the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. It is supplied for around eight hours every day in Kharif season and four hours on alternate days during Rabi crop season.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under DBT, farmers will have to pay the bill for the power consumed for agriculture purposes. After that, they will get the subsidy in their bank accounts through DBT. A meter would be installed on every individual tubewell.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In Punjab, 67 per cent farmers come under the small and marginal categories with 1-2 hectares land. Paying bills in advance is not possible for them due to debt.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The bill suggests the subsidy be paid directly to consumers in cash on the pattern of LPG subsidy. This proposal should be tried in a pilot project and if results are encouraging, only then it should be included in the amendment bill, according to experts.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Farmers organisations have already planned to hold massive protests on May 30 and 31 at subdivision level in Punjab and will observe ‘Black Day’ on June 1 along with several other organisations opposing the bill.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'direct-benefit-transfer-of-power-subsidy', 'image' => '', 'fbimage' => '', 'metatitle' => 'Direct Benefit Transfer of power subsidy', 'metakeyword' => 'Direct Benefit Transfer of power subsidy', 'metadescription' => 'A new bill by the Punjab Government has proposed providing subsidy on power to farmers through Direct Benefit of Transfer (DBT), which would be different from the prevailing', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => '', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 40 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 4994, 'title' => 'COVID-19 helps reduce farmer suicides', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A record by Punjab Revenue Department has shown that farmer suicides have reduced drastically due to the prevalence of lockdown.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to this figure, on average around 12-13 farmers took their lives per month over the past three months. This number though is very high, still, it is about 70 percent lesser than suicides per month that the state was recorded prior to the lockdown.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If nearly four suicides in the last week of March are taken into account, the average suicides since the announcement of the lockdown till date are around 12 to 13 cases.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is a perception that the government may help farmers to come out of the debt net during the Covid-19 crisis on the lines of most developed countries like Canada and the USA where big economic assistance was provided to the farmers by their respective governments.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This also means that there is a possibility of less pressure on farmers for repaying their debts currently due to the pandemic has led to a decline in suicide cases.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In rural Punjab, a huge expenditure that happens on marriages and even on last rites is not happening as of now because of restrictions. Such social obligations were taking a huge toll on a large number of farmers in rural Punjab.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts feel that the trend is temporary relief and the situation will worsen as the number of suicides might increase once normalcy returns. They fear that banks and other financial establishments will adopt hawkish measures to realise their outstanding dues from the farmers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">If government’s policies pay attention towards paying full MSP to farmers and ensuring private players don’t exploit them to make huge profits then suicides will be the thing of the past in Punjab.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'covid-19-helps-reduce-farmer-suicides', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3311/uapeqs7ipmvzog46g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3311/uapeqs7ipmvzog46g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'COVID-19 helps reduce farmer suicides', 'metakeyword' => 'COVID-19 helps reduce farmer suicides', 'metadescription' => 'A record by Punjab Revenue Department has shown that farmer suicides have reduced drastically due to the prevalence of lockdown. According to this figure,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/deibal92ct1v55b/3.COVID-19_helps_reduce_farmer_suicides.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 41 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 5441, 'title' => 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> PM Modi has launched the Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to be used over the next four years. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This fund will be used to build post-harvest storage and processing facilities, largely anchored at the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), but can also be availed by individual entrepreneurs.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fund will also be used to provide loans, at concessional rates, to FPOs and other entrepreneurs through primary agriculture credit societies (PACs). <strong>NABARD</strong> will steer this initiative in association with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unless NABARD ensures that FPOs get their working capital at interest rates of 4 to 7 percent, like farmers get for crop loans, the mere creation of storage facilities will not be enough to benefit farmers. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Currently, most FPOs get a large chunk of their loans for working capital from microfinance institutions at rates ranging from 18-22 percent per annum. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At such rates, stocking is not economically viable unless the off-season prices are substantially higher than the prices at harvest time.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NABARD forms 10,000 FPOs and creates basic storage facilities through the AIF. It should devise a compulsory module that trains FPOs to use the negotiable warehouse receipt system and navigate the realm of agri-futures to hedge their market risks.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Government agencies dabbling in commodity markets should increase their participation in agri-futures. The banks that give loans to FPOs and traders should also participate in commodity futures as “re-insurers” of sorts for the healthy growth of agri-markets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Finally, government policy has to be more stable and market-friendly.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India needs to not only spatially integrate its agri-markets (one nation, one market) but also integrate them temporally — spot and futures markets have to converge. Only then will Indian farmers realise the best price for their produce and hedge market risks.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'agriculture-infrastructure-fund', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2ecf/mwy8ble3zysi7mi6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2ecf/mwy8ble3zysi7mi6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund', 'metakeyword' => 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund', 'metadescription' => 'This fund will be used to build post-harvest storage and processing facilities, largely anchored at the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), but can also be availed', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/cro68ih466wj1y5/3.Agriculture+Infrastructure+Fund.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 42 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 5829, 'title' => 'Punjab declares entire state as ‘Principal Market Yard’', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To nullify the negative impact of the Agricultural Bill on Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), SAD president Sukhbir Badal has suggested to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to declare the entire state as a ‘Principal Market Yard’.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">According to Punjab Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, there are three types of yards under the Punjab Mandi Board (PMB) — Principal Market Yard, Sub Yard and Purchase centres.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Proper infrastructure is developed in these principal yards which included civic amenities, sheds, office buildings, canteen, platform, canteen roads, electrification and even public health facilities. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The small mandis have temporary arrangements of minimum civic amenities during the procurement season.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Declaring the entire state as Principal Market Yard would mean the purchaser has to pay the same taxes outside the PMB yards even in a private trade area.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the current yards of PMB, there are market committee staffs to manage the sale and purchase. The government will have to develop a system to bring every purchaser under one tax regime in the state.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Such a step could isolate Punjab and be beyond the centre’s Bills on agriculture applicable to the rest of India.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre, which purchases the wheat and paddy of Punjab, may not like the idea if the state nullifies its Bills and could decide now to purchase from other state, an annual expenditure of Rs 65,000 crore will be now on state government.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state does not have the infrastructure to store it because centre’s Food Corporation of Indian (FCI) manages the entire storage of wheat and paddy in the state.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Trader who will be supposed to pay the taxes even outside the mandis will start paying even lesser to the farmers to keep their profit margin intact.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'punjab-declares-entire-state-as-principal-market-yard', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e75d/59477iwbi26ezqn6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e75d/59477iwbi26ezqn6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Punjab declares entire state as ‘Principal Market Yard’', 'metakeyword' => 'Punjab declares entire state as ‘Principal Market Yard’', 'metadescription' => 'To nullify the negative impact of the Agricultural Bill on Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), SAD president Sukhbir Badal has suggested', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/bo3qnybybso06je/2.Punjab_declares_entire_state_as_%25E2%2580%2598Principal_Market_Yard%25E2%2580%2599.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 43 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 5907, 'title' => 'Minimum Support Price calculation', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The cabinet committee on economic affairs has announced the increase of minimum support prices (MSP) for various Kharif crops including paddy, cotton, pulses and millets.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The prime focus is the calculation method which is employed by the ministry to calculate the MSP, i.e. the <strong>A2+FL</strong> system.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are various bases for calculating the MSP, which itself is an amount that the government promises to pay to the farmer for their products if their market price falls below a certain level.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MSP is usually based on the recommendations by the <strong>Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices</strong>. This estimation is usually done based on three types of calculation methods. These are <strong>A2</strong> method, <strong>A2+FL</strong> method and <strong>C2</strong> method.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CACP takes into consideration factors such as domestic and international prices, intercrop price parity, the overall demand-supply situation, and also the likely effect of the MSP on inflation.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As per the A2 method, MSP is set 50% higher than the amount farmer spends on farming including spending on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">C2 method, on the other hand, makes the calculation by including a wider range of inputs. This includes besides factors used to calculate A2, the economic value of the efforts of family members working on the farm and the value of other spending including rent and other assets. After calculating these, MSP is set at 50% above the derived amount.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The present MSP has been calculated based on the A2+FL method. The method is a middle ground between the other methods were the MSP is set 50% higher than the amount that derives from adding the amount farmer spend on farming including spending on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour and the value of labour provided by the family members for agriculture.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The MSP which has seen an unprecedented increase is expected to help farmers who have been disturbed by various issues.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'minimum-support-price-calculation', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/647f/7wduhb3jqo9biit6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/647f/7wduhb3jqo9biit6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Minimum Support Price calculation', 'metakeyword' => 'Minimum Support Price calculation', 'metadescription' => 'The cabinet committee on economic affairs has announced the increase of minimum support prices (MSP) for various Kharif crops including paddy, cotton,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/5vgwnz6n7y86rmk/5.Minimum_Support_Price_calculation.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 44 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 5711, 'title' => 'Government’s ban on export of onion', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The central government issued a notification prohibiting the export of onions even as the average traded price of the bulb crossed the psychological barrier of Rs 30 per kg.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government tweaked the archaic Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to make the imposition of stock limit and movement restrictions on food grains, edible oilseeds, potatoes, onions, and other essential commodities only applicable in extreme conditions like war or natural calamity. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There seem to be two main triggers that prompted the government to take the extreme step of putting a blanket ban on exports of all kinds of onions. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first was obviously the steady increase in wholesale prices of onions which has seen the kitchen staple becoming costlier in the urban markets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The immediate trigger which led to the ban can also be found in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The numbers, which measures the inflation was 6.69 percent a tad bit lesser than the 6.73 of last month but well above the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s target of 6 percent. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Exceptionally heavy rains which lashed the country in August have led to a near-complete washout of the almost market-ready onion crop in Karnataka which was to hit the markets early in September. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Along with this, the rains have also wreaked havoc on the stored onions in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and parts of Maharashtra. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, it is only the onion growers in Maharashtra who have stored up the produce which they harvested in March-April. The supply disruption is likely to continue till the new crop in Maharashtra hits the markets early November.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian onions, normally shipped out countries in the Gulf, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, have a year-round steady demand. Demand from Sri Lanka, has suddenly picked up as the island nation also has reported heavy destruction of their crop due to rains. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the markets open for trade, a sharp depreciation in prices is expected to take place in view of the export ban. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Ironically the export ban comes when the government plans to make the ordinances that amended the Essential Commodities Act into law and stop knee-jerk reactions like the imposition of stock limits.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'governments-ban-on-export-of-onion', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0d57/xbq37o76ozy0cyc6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0d57/xbq37o76ozy0cyc6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Government’s ban on export of onion', 'metakeyword' => 'Government’s ban on export of onion', 'metadescription' => 'The central government issued a notification prohibiting the export of onions even as the average traded price of the bulb crossed the psychological barrier of Rs 30', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/fhg2gjy5m6ccb2g/2.Governments_ban_on_export_of_onion.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 45 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6034, 'title' => 'Cultivating heeng in Indian Himalayas', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida, or heeng<em>,</em> is a common ingredient in most Indian kitchens –– so much so that the country imports Rs 600 crore worth of this pungent flavoured herb every year.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Scientists at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource, Palampur (IHBT), are on a mission to grow heeng in the Indian Himalayas. The first sapling has been planted in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul valley last week.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ferula asafoetida is a herbaceous plant of the umbelliferae family. It is a perennial plant whose oleo gum resin is extracted from its thick roots and rhizome. The plant stores most of its nutrients inside its deep fleshy roots.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida is endemic to Iran and Afghanistan, the main global suppliers. It thrives in dry and cold desert conditions. While it is very popular in India, some European countries too use it for its medicinal properties.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Heeng is not cultivated in India. Government data states that India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw heeng worth Rs 600 crore from Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The seeds were subjected to a number of tests while being kept under quarantine, to rule out fungal or infectious diseases, possibility of pest attacks, and other adverse effects to an area if these seeds were cultivated in fields.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The challenge for the scientists here was that heeng seeds remain under a prolonged dormant phase and the rate of seed germination is just one percent.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To tackle this dormancy, which according to scientists is part of the plant’s adaptation technique to survive in desert conditions, they subjected the seeds to some special chemical treatments.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Asafoetida best grows in dry and cold conditions. The plant can withstand a maximum temperature between 35 and 40 degree, whereas during winters, it can survive in temperatures up to minus 4 degree. During extreme weather, the plant can get dormant.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Regions with sandy soil, very little moisture, and annual rainfall of not more than 200mm are considered conducive for heeng cultivation in India.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cultivating-heeng-in-indian-himalayas', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/154c/xatjd3dfdj4j8026g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/154c/xatjd3dfdj4j8026g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Cultivating heeng in Indian Himalayas', 'metakeyword' => 'Cultivating heeng in Indian Himalayas', 'metadescription' => 'Asafoetida, or heeng, is a common ingredient in most Indian kitchens –– so much so that the country imports Rs 600 crore worth of this pungent flavoured herb', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/zi24o645uos11lk/Cultivating_heeng_in_Indian_Himalayas.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 46 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6036, 'title' => 'Working of fertiliser subsidy', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Centre is working on a plan to restrict the number of fertiliser bags that individual farmers can buy during any cropping season.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers buy fertilisers at MRPs (maximum retail price) below their normal supply-and-demand-based market rates or what it costs to produce/import them.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MRP of neem-coated urea is fixed by the government at Rs 5,922.22 per tonne, whereas its average cost-plus price payable to domestic manufacturers and importers comes to around Rs 17,000 and Rs 23,000 per tonne, respectively. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The difference, which varies according to plant-wise production cost and import price, is footed by the Centre as subsidy.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MRPs of non-urea fertilisers are decontrolled or fixed by the companies. The Centre, however, pays a flat per-tonne subsidy on these nutrients to ensure they are priced at “reasonable levels”. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The per-tonne subsidy is currently Rs 10,231 for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), Rs 6,070 for muriate of potash (MOP) and Rs 8,380 for the popular ‘10:26:26’ complex fertiliser, with their corresponding average MRPs at Rs 24,000, Rs 17,500 and Rs 23,500 per tonne, respectively.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The subsidy goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer who pays MRPs less than the market-determined rates. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Anybody buying subsidised fertilisers is required to furnish his/her Aadhaar unique identity or Kisan Credit Card number. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The quantities of the individual fertilisers purchased, along with the buyer’s name and biometric authentication, have to be captured on the PoS device. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Only upon the sale getting registered on the e-Urvarak platform can a company claim subsidy, with these being processed on a weekly basis and payments remitted electronically to its bank account.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Being super-subsidised, urea is always prone to diversion for non-agricultural use — as a binder by plywood/particle board makers, cheap protein source by animal feed manufacturers or adulterant by milk vendors — apart from being smuggled to Nepal and Bangladesh. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The scope for leakage was more in the earlier system, right from the point of dispatch till the retailer end. With DBT, pilferage happens only at the retailer level, as there is no subsidy payment till sales are made through POS machines and subject to the buyers’ biometric authentication.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, the Centre is following a “no denial” policy. Anybody, non-farmers included, can purchase any quantity of fertilisers through the PoS machines. That obviously allows for bulk buying by unintended beneficiaries, who are not genuine or deserving farmers. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One plan under discussion is to cap the total number of subsidised fertiliser bags that any person can buy during an entire kharif or Rabi cropping season. This, it is expected, would end even retail-level diversion and purchases by large buyers masquerading as farmers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The time has come to seriously consider paying farmers a flat per-acre cash subsidy that they can use to purchase any fertiliser. The amount could vary, depending on the number of crops grown and whether the land is irrigated or not. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'working-of-fertiliser-subsidy', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/724d/yj34bwnr73gcqwv6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/724d/yj34bwnr73gcqwv6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Working of fertiliser subsidy', 'metakeyword' => 'Working of fertiliser subsidy', 'metadescription' => 'Farmers buy fertilisers at MRPs (maximum retail price) below their normal supply-and-demand-based market rates or what it costs to produce/import them.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/kg81nvfjduiedzw/Working_of_fertiliser_subsidy.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 47 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6068, 'title' => 'Rise in onion prices', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With less than a week to go for the Bihar elections, the Centre has reintroduced the stock limit on onions to control rising prices.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Barely a month ago, Parliament had amended the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to exclude onions from the list of essential commodities, thus freeing them from stock limits. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prices of onion has been rising since the last week of August, as reports started coming in of massive losses to kharif onions caused by heavy rainfall in north Karnataka. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This crop was meant to arrive after September and was expected to feed the markets until the arrival of the kharif crop from Maharashtra towards the end of October.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are three main onion crops — kharif (June-July sowing, post-October harvest), late kharif (September sowing, post-December harvest), and Rabi (December-January sowing, post-March harvest). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers, especially in Maharashtra, store it in on-field structures called kanda chawls to protect it from moisture and light. This crop feeds the markets till the next one arrives.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The heavy rain in September not only destroyed the new crop in Karnataka but also took a toll on stored onions in states like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government has made relaxation of import norms, to allow easy shipping in from Iran, Turkey, and other onion-producing nations.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Farmers and agricultural officers have talked about a dire shortage of onion seeds, which can cast a shadow on the all-important rabi season. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Normally, farmers generate their own seeds by allowing a portion of the crop to flower and then produce seeds. However, this season, they skipped this step and sold their entire crop in view of the good prices being offered. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Non-availability of good seeds has caused concerns and the available seeds are being sold at a premium.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'rise-in-onion-prices', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/aba3/m6dsb1iu9jmpxc06g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/aba3/m6dsb1iu9jmpxc06g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Rise in onion prices', 'metakeyword' => 'Rise in onion prices', 'metadescription' => 'Barely a month ago, Parliament had amended the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to exclude onions from the list of essential commodities,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/hl1zdxl89hibfd9/2.Rise_in_onion_prices.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 48 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6315, 'title' => 'Punjab urea use', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s fields are waiting for a crucial fertiliser, urea. The state is facing a shortage of urea<strong> </strong>due to suspension of goods trains.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Urea provides nitrogen to crop, which enhances productivity. It is required around 30 days after sowing of wheat, potato, etc. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is applied with the first irrigation of wheat, which is normally done after 30 days of sowing. Urea dissolves in properly irrigated or moist fields only.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If the first dose is delayed by 10-15 days, the yield will be affected by 10-15%. If there is no application of urea due to its non-supply, the yield may go down by 35 to 40%.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Alternative to urea</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Water soluble chemical sprays are an option, but even these are not available in the required quantity in Punjab.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Organic farming is the other option, which needs neither urea nor di-ammonium phosphate (DAP).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To give further nutrition to the crop, dung cakes can be mixed in water and sprayed close to the roots of the plants. This costs almost nothing, as cow dung cakes are available with every farmer in Punjab. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Cow dung cake contains Gibberellic acid, which is very good for plant growth and enhances photosynthesis.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Impact of overuse of fertilizers</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Land degradation as fertilizers reduces yield gradually over a period of time.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">High input cost as fertilizers are costly.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Environmental pollution occurs due to mixing of fertilizers with water bodies.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Health concerns due to excess use of fertilizers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Lower market demand in the future.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'punjab-urea-use', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8787/qjdx3cqsoudzmth6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8787/qjdx3cqsoudzmth6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Punjab urea use | Punjab has 22% of required urea for rabi crops', 'metakeyword' => 'Punjab urea use | Punjab has 22% of required urea for rabi crops', 'metadescription' => 'It is applied with the first irrigation of wheat, which is normally done after 30 days of sowing. Urea dissolves in properly irrigated or moist fields only.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/fkyrlcaa5cjs5k7/3.Punjab_urea_use.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 49 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6374, 'title' => 'Punjab granaries overflowing', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s granaries are overflowing with food grains. This is a common problem over the years but has intensified this time.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The suspension of trains due to farmer’s protest has resulted in grains getting stuck in warehouses. The trade has also been subdued.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state still has 110 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and 55 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procured from previous seasons which is yet to be dispatched.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rice is not hardy as wheat and needs special storage in closed spaces. With record procurement happening this season, the government is unable to provide storing space for the grains.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ever since other states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan started contributing to state pool of food grains, the outward movement of food grains from Punjab has been affected.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Had the trains been still running, the evacuation would have been at least five times of the current rate.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Post harvest losses</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Post-harvest losses occur between harvest and the moment of human consumption. They include on-farm losses, such as when grain is threshed, winnowed, and dried, as well as losses along the chain during transportation, storage, and processing. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A late harvest, for example, can bring about losses from attacks by birds and other pests.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Insufficient drying of grain can cause losses from the development of moulds and insects.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Threshing can cause losses from broken grains and encourage the development of insects.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Poor storage conditions can bring about losses caused by the combined action of moulds, insects, rodents and other pests.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Transport conditions or defective packaging of grain can lead to quantitative losses of product.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Effects of post harvest losses</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Losses in weight</strong></span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:40px; margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A reduction of the physical substance of the product is evidenced by a loss in weight.</span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Losses in quality</strong></span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:40px; margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Criteria of quality vary widely and involve the exterior aspect, shape and size, as much as the smell and taste.</span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Economic losses</strong></span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:40px"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A reduction in the quantities or qualities of grain means a corresponding commercial loss that is evidenced as a loss of money.</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'punjab-granaries-overflowing', 'image' => '', 'fbimage' => '', 'metatitle' => 'Punjab granaries overflowing', 'metakeyword' => 'Punjab granaries overflowing', 'metadescription' => 'The suspension of trains due to farmer’s protest has resulted in grains getting stuck in warehouses. The trade has also been subdued.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => '', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 50 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6355, 'title' => 'Agricultural subsidies and air pollution', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Delhi and the surrounding areas of the Gangetic plains suffer from pollution problem mainly during winter. While there are many reasons for pollution to occur, agriculture stands out.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The over exploitation of government subsidies by farmers has contributed towards increasing pollution from agriculture.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indo-Gangetic plain is also one of the world’s largest and rapidly- growing ammonia hotspots. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Atmospheric ammonia comes from fertiliser use, animal husbandry, and other agricultural practices, combined with emissions from power plants, transportation, and other fossil-fuel burning to form fine particles.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Much of the policy attention has focused on how to change the disposal of paddy stubble, but our current system of subsidies is a big reason that there is stubble on these fields.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Free power and consequently free water pumped from the ground is a big part of what makes growing rice in these areas attractive.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Open-ended procurement of paddy, despite the growing stocks of grains with the Food Corporation of India, adds to the incentives. Subsidies account for almost 15 percent of the value of rice being produced in Punjab- Haryana belt.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Fertiliser, particularly urea in granular form, is highly subsidised. It is one of the cheapest forms of nitrogen-based fertiliser, easy to store and easy to transport, but it is also one of the first to release ammonia into the air and contribute towards pollution.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Different types of agricultural subsidies</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Free electricity</strong>: Cheaper electricity for farmers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Free irrigation</strong>: Irrigation facilities including bore well and pump sets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Cheap fertilizers and seeds</strong>: Fertilizer rate is highly subsidised and seeds are procured at low prices.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Cheap credit facility</strong>: Cheap loans to farmers as credit. Sometimes there is also loan waiver.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Minimum Supporting Price</strong>: Providing higher than normal buying rate for produce by the government.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Tax free income</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">: Farmers are free from paying income tax.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'agricultural-subsidies-and-air-pollution', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b283/93kptqbqyrld2r86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b283/93kptqbqyrld2r86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Agricultural subsidies and air pollution', 'metakeyword' => 'Agricultural subsidies and air pollution', 'metadescription' => 'Delhi and the surrounding areas of the Gangetic plains suffer from pollution problem mainly during winter. While there are many reasons for pollution to occur,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/xxo3y66a13fple0/3.Agricultural_subsidies_and_air_pollution.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 51 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6575, 'title' => 'Crop diversification in Punjab', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amidst the ongoing farmer protests, questions are being raised on the sustainability of paddy-wheat cultivation, especially in Punjab.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat and Paddy form the staple crop of Punjab. These crops require high input costs and are also responsible for depletion of water resources.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Punjab’s gross cropped area in 2018-19 was estimated at 78.30 lakh hectares (lh). Out of that, 35.20 lh was sown under wheat and another 31.03 lh under paddy, adding up to 84.6% of the total area planted to all crops. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The above gains have been at the expense of pulses (after 1960-61), maize, bajra, and oilseeds (after 1970-71), and cotton (after 1990-91). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat replaced chana, masur, mustard and sunflower, while cotton, maize, groundnut, and sugarcane area got diverted to paddy. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The only crops that have registered some acreage expansions are vegetables (especially potato and pea) and fruits (kinnow), but they hardly amount to any diversification.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Threats due to monoculture</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Growing the same crops year after year on the same land increases vulnerability to pest and disease attacks. The more the crop and genetic diversity, the more difficult it is for insects and pathogens to device way to pierce through plant resistance. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Wheat and paddy cannot also, unlike pulses and legumes, fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. Their continuous cultivation without any crop rotation, leads to depletion of soil nutrients and growing dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If there is only one type of crop on a given land plot, the root systems of this species are not sufficient to maintain the soil structure around the plants, which can lead to erosion and loss of water uptake.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Monoculture farming has also a negative effect on such important participants of the natural reproductive cycle as bees and other pollinators.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of crop diversification</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Major advantages of crop diversification include </span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Income increases of small farm holdings;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Less risk for price fluctuation, climatic variability; </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Balancing food demand; </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Increasing the production of quality fodder for livestock animals;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Beneficial for conserving natural resources; </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Minimize intake of fertilizers; </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Reducing application of pesticides.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'crop-diversification-in-punjab', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cd6d/jvdgm5j1u2qf7h36g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cd6d/jvdgm5j1u2qf7h36g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Crop diversification in Punjab', 'metakeyword' => 'Crop diversification in Punjab | Centre should support crop diversification in Punjab | Crop Diversification in Punjab Issues and analysis', 'metadescription' => 'Wheat and Paddy form the staple crop of Punjab. These crops require high input costs and are also responsible for depletion of water resources.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/c0jmkgqfzz13d9y/4.Crop_diversification_in_Punjab.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 52 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6584, 'title' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farmer’s union founded by the legendary farm leader Sharad Joshi, has extended support to the new farm bills.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government was conducting a large outreach programme to convince farmers regarding the benefits of the new farm laws. Many farmers groups have met the Agriculture minister and expressed their support.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sharad Joshi, an economist by training, worked for the United Nations in Switzerland. After returning to the country, he purchased land and became a full-time farmer.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 1979, he led a group of farmers to block the Pune-Nashik highway to press for higher prices for onion. The genesis of the Shetkari Sanghatana lies in this movement, which saw onion growers dumping their produce on the highway to underline their demand.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Joshi believed that unless the problems of rural India were raised forcefully in urban India, farmers would never receive justice.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">His agitations were, therefore, invariably staged in the urban areas, and were calculated to impact urban life. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Protesters often gathered on highways or railway tracks to press for better prices of sugarcane, or the removal of state monopoly in the procurement of cotton.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Shetkari Sanghatana has been vocal about getting access to the market. Joshi was convinced that the root cause of farmers’ problems lay in their limited access to the market. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Sanghatana hit the street to demand removal of zone limits on sugarcane farmers, or the ban on inter-state movement of cotton. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Sanghatana was one of the first bodies to come out in support of the farm reforms announced by the central government. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Of the three new laws, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 received the most support from the union.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'shetkari-sanghatana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8254/c2ecdqb97b0sftf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/8254/c2ecdqb97b0sftf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana | Maharashtra-based farmer’s ', 'metakeyword' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana | Maharashtra-based farmer’s ', 'metadescription' => 'Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farmer’s union founded by the legendary farm leader Sharad Joshi, has extended support to the new farm bills.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/lu4gzp06f67e6qv/2.Shetkari_Sanghatana.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 53 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6881, 'title' => 'Agri-food policy for India', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts have stated that India needs to frame an optimal agri-food policy to address both short-run and long-term challenges.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One, it should be able to produce enough food, feed and fibre for its large population. In this regard, the best step is to invest in R&D for agriculture, and its extension from laboratories to farms and irrigation facilities.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is believed that developing countries should invest at least one per cent of their agri-GDP in agri-R&D and extension. India invests about half.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Two, it should do so in a manner that not only protects the environment but achieves higher production with global competitiveness. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This can be done by switching from the highly subsidised input price policy (power, water, fertilisers) and MSP/FRP policy for paddy, wheat and sugarcane, to more income support policies linked to saving water, soil and air quality.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Third, it should enable seamless movement of food from farm to fork, keeping marketing costs low, save on food losses in supply chains and provide safe and fresh food to consumers. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Benefits of the policy</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will reduce the burden of agricultural taxes on government. This money can be used for investing in agricultural research.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will act as sustainable method to practice climate neutral agriculture that does not result in destruction of environment.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The policy will ensure that crop diversity and food security will be enhanced over a period of time in future.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'agri-food-policy-for-india', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4f5c/bbv0uoe0gy4urkl6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4f5c/bbv0uoe0gy4urkl6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Agri-food policy for India', 'metakeyword' => 'Agri-food policy for India', 'metadescription' => 'Experts have stated that India needs to frame an optimal agri-food policy to address both short-run and long-term challenges.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/8wdu2btrq3gzrgf/2.Agri-food+policy+for+India.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 54 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6907, 'title' => 'Gujarat suggests Sanskrit name for Dragon frui', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has proposed to rename dragon fruit as ‘Kamalam’ in order to give it an Indian identity.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He considered Kamalam was apt because the characteristic fuchsia ‘spikes’ or ‘petals’ of the fruit recall a lotus in bloom.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is the fruit of a species of wild cactus indigenous to South and Central America, where it is called pitaya or pitahaya. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fruit’s flesh is usually white or red and is studded with tiny seeds rather like the kiwifruit.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit is Vietnam, where the plant was brought by the French in the 19th century. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Vietnamese call it thanh long, which translates to “dragon’s eyes”, believed to be the origin of its common English name.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is also cultivated in Thailand, Taiwan, China, Australia, Israel, and Sri Lanka. It was brought to India in the 1990s, and is grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It grows in all kinds of soil, and does not require much water.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Renaming proposal</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ICAR sources said the Gujarat government’s proposal had been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ICAR officials say such a proposal would need approval from the Botanical Survey of India and the National Biodiversity Authority under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dragon fruit is not a species native to India and any change in its nomenclature in official annals can lead to international litigation. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'gujarat-suggests-sanskrit-name-for-dragon-frui', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/67ea/f1uwdg2lxichyj06g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/67ea/f1uwdg2lxichyj06g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Gujarat suggests Sanskrit name for Dragon frui', 'metakeyword' => 'Gujarat suggests Sanskrit name for Dragon frui', 'metadescription' => 'Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has proposed to rename dragon fruit as ‘Kamalam’ in order to give it an Indian identity.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/idom9yc0hfgp9ww/4.Gujarat+suggests+Sanskrit+name+for+Dragon+fruit.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 55 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 6444, 'title' => 'Calculation of 1.5 times formula for MSP', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One of the main issue raised by the farmers during their protest is regarding MSP, which they fear the government will do away with.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The minimum support price (MSP) is an agricultural product price set by the Government of India to purchase directly from the farmer, well above their production costs.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for 23 crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While recommending MSP, CACP considers various factors viz. cost of production, overall demand-supply situations of various crops in domestic and world markets, domestic and international prices, inter-crop price parity, terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture sector, likely effect of price policy on rest of economy and a minimum of 50 percent as the margin over cost of production.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The 22 mandated crops, for which MSP is being announced by the government for the last three years, include 14 Kharif crops viz. Paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, arhar, moong, urad, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, nigerseed, cotton, and 6 Rabi crops viz. wheat, barley, gram, masur (lentil), rapeseed & mustard, safflower, and two commercial crops viz. jute and copra.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CACP does not do any field based cost estimates. It makes projections based on state-wise, crop-wise production cost estimates.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A2 covers all paid out costs indirectly incurred by farmer in cash and kinds such as seeds, fertilizers, hired labour, leased land, fuel, equipments etc. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A2+FL include A2 plus an inputed value of unpaid family labour. C2 is more comprehensive cost that factors in rental and interest forgone on owned land and fixed capital assets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CACP considers A2+FL and C2 costs while recommending MSP. However C2 costs are used by CACP primarily as benchmark reference cost.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'calculation-of-1-point-5-times-formula-for-msp', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2580/1m7w04yqzpxxzdi6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2580/1m7w04yqzpxxzdi6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Calculation of 1.5 times formula for MSP', 'metakeyword' => 'Calculation of 1.5 times formula for MSP | How the 1.5-times formula works', 'metadescription' => 'The minimum support price (MSP) is an agricultural product price set by the Government of India to purchase directly from the farmer, well above their production', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/wd9eiz5srk7c16p/3.Calculation_of_1.5_times_formula_for_MSP.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 56 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Agriculture', 'keyword' => 'agriculture', 'id' => (int) 7105, 'title' => 'Soil Health Card scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The soil Health Card scheme has reduced usage of fertilizers by 10%. It has also rationalised usage of external minerals.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments. </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Parameters included in SHC are N, P, K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro - nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Samples are taken generally two times in a year, after harvesting of Rabi and Kharif Crop respectively or when there is no standing crop in the field.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'soil-health-card-scheme', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4a6a/b1p4clsrmoc77346g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4a6a/b1p4clsrmoc77346g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Soil Health Card scheme', 'metakeyword' => 'Soil Health Card scheme | Soil Health Card Scheme helped India achieve surplus capacity in foodgrain production', 'metadescription' => 'SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. 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It has also rationalised usage of external minerals.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments. </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Parameters included in SHC are N, P, K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro - nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). </span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Soil Samples are taken generally two times in a year, after harvesting of Rabi and Kharif Crop respectively or when there is no standing crop in the field.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'soil-health-card-scheme', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4a6a/b1p4clsrmoc77346g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4a6a/b1p4clsrmoc77346g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Soil Health Card scheme', 'metakeyword' => 'Soil Health Card scheme | Soil Health Card Scheme helped India achieve surplus capacity in foodgrain production', 'metadescription' => 'SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. 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