New Initiatives For Farmers Unveiled By The Centre
The Government has introduced initiatives aimed at transforming agriculture and improving farmers’ lives. Here are the key takeaways:
- The launch of the Kisan Rin Portal (KRP).
- The initiation of the KCC Ghar Ghar Abhiyaan campaign, which aims to bring the benefits of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme to farmers nationwide.
- The unveiling of a manual on Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS).
These programs focus on agri-credit and crop insurance, aiming to enhance financial inclusion, optimize data utilisation, and elevate the living standards of farmers across the country.
Kisan Rin Portal (KRP)
The Kisan Rin Portal (KRP) is a joint effort of multiple departments, including MoA&FW, DFS, DAH&D, DoF, RBI, and NABARD. It aims to redefine how Kisan Credit Card (KCC) services are accessed. Additionally, it will help farmers get subsidised agriculture credit through the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS).
The main features of the KRP portal are:
- It offers a complete overview of farmer data, loan disbursement details, interest subvention claims, and scheme utilisation progress.
- It integrates smoothly with banks which allows for effective policy interventions, strategic guidance, and adaptive improvements.
- Its goal is to streamline agricultural credit and ensure maximum utilisation of interest subvention.
Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan: Door to Door KCC Campaign
- The “Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyaan” campaign starts soon.
- MoA&FW is driving the campaign to ensure all farmers can access credit facilities.
- The campaign runs from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
- Existing KCC account holder data has been checked against the PM KISAN database.
- The campaign aims to reach PM KISAN beneficiaries without KCC accounts and increase KCC Account saturation among eligible PM Kisan beneficiary farmers.
Launch Of WINDS Manual
- The Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) initiative is a groundbreaking effort to establish a network of Automatic Weather Stations and Rain Gauges at the taluk/block and gram panchayat levels. This innovative initiative aims to create a comprehensive database of hyper-local weather data, providing valuable support to a wide range of agricultural services.
- Comprehensive WINDS manual will provide stakeholders with a profound understanding of the portal’s functionalities, data interpretation, and effective utilisation.
- This invaluable resource will guide States and Union Territories in establishing and seamlessly integrating with the WINDS platform, fostering transparent and objective data observation and transmission.
- Moreover, it offers practical insights into harnessing weather data to enhance crop management, optimize resource allocation, and mitigate risks.
Source: PIB
National Workshop On e-NAM 2.0 And Agri Marketing Reforms
- The National Workshop on e-NAM 2.0 and Agri Marketing Reforms took place in New Delhi on September 19.
Manoj Ahuja, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, emphasized that as of August 31, 2023, e-NAM integrated 1361 APMCs. - These APMCs span across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
- A total of 209 commodities are actively traded on e-NAM, benefiting farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and buyers/traders.
- To enhance e-NAM’s robustness, 28 new mandis are recently approved for integration, bringing the total to 1389.
- Ahuja stressed the importance of timely and relevant information to all e-NAM stakeholders.
- He highlighted the need to eliminate information asymmetry, valuing both produce quality data for buyers and commodity prices for sellers.
- Ahuja insisted on the economic significance of an efficient agricultural value chain and the need to minimize wastage.
- He commended the efforts behind the workshop’s organization and praised State Agriculture marketing Boards from Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu for their informative presentations and effective use of the workshop’s platform.
About National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), a pan-India electronic trading portal, was launched on April 14th, 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It aims to connect and network existing APMC mandis, leveraging their infrastructure to establish a Unified National Market for agricultural commodities. This initiative not only enhances trading efficiency but also promotes seamless connectivity among various market participants across the country.
Read More about e-NAM
Source: PIB
Five Eyes Intelligence
The relationship between Canada and India has deteriorated significantly following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s surprising statement on Tuesday. Trudeau accused an Indian government agency of being responsible for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June of this year.
These remarks from Trudeau have gained support from the Five Eyes Intelligence alliance, even though they reportedly declined Canada’s request to jointly condemn Nijjar’s murder. If Canada decides to share the information regarding Nijjar’s killing with its Five Eyes partners, it will put the credibility of the evidence to the test.
Read more about Five Eyes Inteligence
Source: Indian Express
The Global Burden Of Hypertension
- Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a global health crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that most people with hypertension are not receiving adequate treatment.
- 80% of people with high blood pressure don’t get enough treatment.
- From 2023 to 2050, proper treatment could prevent approximately 76 million deaths, as per WHO.
- Hypertension affects one in three adults globally.
- It can cause stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney damage, and more.
- The number of people suffering from hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, increasing from 650 million to 1.3 billion.
- About half of the people having hypertension don’t know about their condition.
- The WHO suggests that simple lifestyle changes can help control blood pressure. These include:
- Adopting a healthier diet.
- Quitting smoking.
- Increasing physical activity.
Source: The Hindu
Centre Identifies 62 New Elephant Corridors
- A recent report from the central government highlights a remarkable 40 percent surge in elephant corridors across 15 states in India, providing crucial pathways for these majestic creatures.
- The count of elephant corridors has risen to 150, a significant increase from the 88 corridors registered by the Government of India in 2010. Furthermore, the estimated elephant population in the country exceeds 30,000.
- Elephant corridors can be defined as narrow stretches of land that facilitate the movement of elephants between two or more compatible habitats. According to the report, these corridors were identified and reported by the respective state governments, and their validity was confirmed through ground validation methods.
- West Bengal has the most elephant corridors — 26 — amounting to 17 per cent of the total corridors, the report said.
- East central region contributed to 35 per cent, that is 52 corridors, while North East region was second largest with 32 per cent number meaning 48 corridors in total.
- In Southern India, there were 32 elephant corridors, accounting for 21 percent of the total, while in Northern India, the number was lowest with only 18 corridors, representing 12 percent.
- A significant portion of the corridors primarily fall within state boundaries, and there has been a notable 40% increase in their usage. However, it is worth mentioning that out of the total 29 corridors observed, 19% witnessed a decline in activity, while another 10 corridors were identified as impaired and in need of restoration to ensure smooth movement of elephants.
- The decline in corridor usage can be attributed to the fragmentation, shrinkage, and destruction of habitats.
- The expansion of elephant corridors in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, bordering Chhattisgarh and southern Maharashtra bordering Karnataka, indicates a significant increase in the range of elephants in these areas.
- Elephants have experienced a rise in population in Madhya Pradesh, specifically in the Sanjay Tiger reserves and Bandhavgarh. Furthermore, there has been an expansion of their habitats in northern Andhra Pradesh, allowing elephants to freely move between Odisha and their new ranges.
Source: DTE
SDG Summit 2023
- The High-level Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit took place on September 18-19, 2023.
- The summit was held in New York.
- World leaders gathered and committed to speed up their efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
- A political declaration was endorsed, expressing a shared dedication to create a sustainable, inclusive world by 2030.
- The declaration admitted that without significant jumps in investments, the targets for 2030 won’t be met.
- The investment should improve access to food, energy, digital transitions, education, and social security in developing nations.
- The declaration mentioned the Addis Ababa Action Agenda as a key part of the 2030 Agenda.
- The Action Agenda emphasised the need for efficient use of all financial flows, both public and private, for sustainable development.
- It also stressed the need for integrated national financing frameworks.
Source: DTE