Daily PIB Summary & Analysis for RBI Grade B 2022, NABARD Grade A 2021, UPSC Civil Services, and SEBI Grade A Exam. In this Article we will discuss Press Information Bureau (PIB) Programs and their Summary for RBI Grade B Economics and Social Issue Section.
Press Information Bureau (PIB) releases news related to the policies, programmes, initiatives and achievements of the Government of India. PIB releases are important to be read for the RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A, UPSC Civil Services however, it is also equally important is to know which PIB Article should be read and which to be left.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal agency of the government of India to broadcast and publicize information on government policies, initiatives, achievements and working of every ministry and department within the government through its official website using various articles, images and photographs.
PM condoles demise of Padma Shri awardee Shri Nanda Prusty
- He drew the nation’s attention and affection a few weeks ago at the Padma Awards ceremony.
- Nanda Kishore Prusty was a teacher from Kantira, Odisha. In 2021, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to education
Former CEC Shri Sunil Arora joins Board of Advisers for International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
- The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), established in 1995, is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, Sweden with a mission to support sustainable democracy worldwide.
- International IDEA currently has 34 member countries which include large and small, older and newer democracies from all continents. India has been one of the founding members of IDEA.
Permanent Mission of India to the WTO in Geneva signs tripartite MoU
- On 26 November 2021, the Permanent Mission of India to the WTO in Geneva (PMI), the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, New Delhi (CTIL), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, and the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration of The Graduate Institute, Geneva (CTEI) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Geneva to begin collaboration towards research and capacity-building in the field of international trade law and policy.
- The MOU seeks to provide valuable academic and research opportunities to the professional staff of CTIL and the officials of the Government of India in the field of international trade and investment law.
India, ADB sign $125 million loan to improve water supply and sanitation in Uttarakhand
- The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a $125 million loan to improve access to safe and affordable drinking water supply and citywide inclusive sanitation services in Dehradun and Nainital cities in the state of Uttarakhand.
India, ADB sign $150 million loan to provide affordable housing for urban poor in Tamil Nadu
- The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a $150 million loan to provide access to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable housing for the urban poor in the state of Tamil Nadu.
- Nearly half of Tamil Nadu’s 72 million population lives in urban areas making it one of the most urbanized states in India. Through the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, the project will construct housing units in nine different locations and relocate about 6,000 households vulnerable to natural hazards to safer locations.
Steps taken to promote installation of Waste to Energy plants for generation of energy from municipal solid waste
- National Policy on Biofuels-2018 promotes the production of Bio-CNG and other biofuels.
- Government announced Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) Initiative, under which Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) purchase Bio-CNG produced by waste including municipal solid waste.
Details of major schemes launched by the Ministry of Power since 2014
Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS): Ministry of Power, Government of India notified “Integrated Power Development Scheme" (IPDS) on 3rd December’14 for strengthening the power sub-transmission and distribution networks in urban areas.
- The main objective of the scheme is strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks in the urban areas, metering of distribution transformers / feeders / consumers, enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), IT enablement of balance urban towns, Real Time-Data Acquisition System (RT-DAS) projects etc. The sunset timeline for the scheme is March 2022.
Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY): DDUGJY was launched in December, 2014 for various rural electrification works across the country.
- As reported by the States, all the inhabited un-electrified census villages stand electrified on 28th April, 2018 well before the stipulated timeline of 1st May, 2018.
- The sunset of the scheme is on 31.03.2022
Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – (Saubhagya): Saubhagya was launched in October, 2017 with the objective to achieve universal household electrification for providing electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural areas and all poor households in urban areas in the country.
- Under Saubhagya scheme, as on 31.03.2021 all the States have reported 100% electrification of all the willing un-electrified households, identified before 31.03.2019
Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) - UDAY is a scheme for financial turnaround of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) launched in November, 2015 with an objective to improve the operational & financial efficiency of the State Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs).
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS)- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in its meeting held on 30-06-2021 approved the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme- A Reforms-based and Results-linked Scheme with an outlay of Rs.3,03 ,758 crore and a Gross Budgetary Support of Rs.97,631 crore form Government of India over a period of five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
- The scheme aims to reduce the AT&C losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and ACS-ARR Gap to zero by 2024-25.
Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA): Hon’ble Prime Minister, on 5th January, 2015 launched UJALA programme to provide LED bulbs to domestic consumers for replacement of incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs at an affordable price.
- EESL’s Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) is the world’s largest lighting replacement programme.
Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP): Hon’ble Prime Minister launched SLNP programme on 5th January, 2015 to replace conventional street lights with smart and energy efficient LED street lights. As on date, over 1.2 crore LED Street lights have been installed by EESL across India
Gram Ujala: Gram Ujala program launched on 19th March, 2021 wherein old type of bulbs are replaced by efficient LED bulbs that consumes 88% less electricity. As on date, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) has distributed over 33 lakh LED bulbs under this program. It will be funded from carbon credit, first such program.
Social Protection to Transgender Community
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”, which includes sub scheme -‘Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’.
- The focus of the sub-scheme is on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities and intervention, counseling, education, skill development, economic linkages to the transgender persons.
SMILE includes a sub-scheme - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’.
- This scheme covers several comprehensive measures including welfare measures for persons who are engaged in the act of begging. The focus of the scheme is extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counseling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on. Persons engaged in the act of Begging are to be covered under the scheme
Employment Exchange Portal for Senior Citizens
- The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a portal named 'Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED)' on 1st October, 2021, which provides an IT platform to bring the Senior Citizen employment seekers and the employment providers together.
- An individual senior citizen will get oneself registered on the portal with his relevant education, experience, skills and the areas of interest. Any job provider can also register on the portal.
- The interested and eligible senior citizens can apply for the job as per the matching criteria of his/her eligibility on the portal https://sacred.dosje.gov.in/
NCW Launches a Pan-India Capacity Building Programme ‘She is a Changemaker’ for Women in Politics
- To improve leadership skills of grassroot women political leaders, the National Commission for Women (NCW) today launched a pan-India capacity building programme,‘She is a Changemaker’ for women representatives at all levels, gram panchayats to parliament members and political workers including office bearers of National/State political parties.
Programs Related to Farmers, Rural, Panchayat and Animal Husbandry
Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been providing programmatic support to States for strengthening of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) so as to enable them to discharge their mandated duties effectively and efficiently
- To take forward Ministry’s vision of localizing SDGs in rural India, an Expert Group had been constituted for making recommendations on ‘Localization of SDGs through PRIs under the Chairpersonship of Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu and Senior Officers from Ministry of Panchayati Raj, NITI Aayog and others.
- Under the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) rolled out this year from 2nd October,2021 up to 31st January, 2022 for preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) for 2022-23, Panchayats have been advised to mandatorily integrate the Village Poverty Reduction Plans (VPRPs) into GPDP.
SPMRM growth clusters are playing a role reducing urban migration
- Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) was launched in the year 2016 in mission mode to develop 300 clusters in the country holistically by provisioning of economic, social and physical infrastructure facilities.
- The goal of SPMRM is development of a cluster of villages that preserve and nurture the essence of rural community life with focus on equity and inclusiveness without compromising with the facilities perceived to be essentially urban in nature, thus creating a cluster of ‘Rurban villages.
- The main objectives of SPMRM are to stimulate local economic development, enhance basic services, and create well planned Rurban clusters.
- Regarding the objective of having 'sustainable planned development of rural habitat on spatial perspective' a spatial planning platform has been developed in collaboration with Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics and Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
National Food Security Mission
- The Mission aims at increasing production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and nutri-cereals through area expansion and productivity enhancement in the identified districts of the country; improving soil fertility, farm level productivity besides, transfer of technology through demonstrations and trainings, incentives on critical inputs like quality seeds, water saving devices, farm equipments and machinery etc.
- The National Development Council (NDC) in its 53rd meeting held on 29th May, 2007 adopted a resolution to launch a Food Security Mission comprising rice, wheat and pulses to increase the annual production of rice by 10 million tonnes, wheat by 8 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes by the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12)
- Accordingly, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, 'National Food Security Mission' (NFSM), was launched in October 2007.
- NFSM continued during 12th Five Year Plan with the target of additional production of 25 million tonnes of food grains.
Government enacted that National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) in July 2013 with an intended coverage of upto 75% of rural population and upto 50% of urban population for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System.
- One of the guiding principles of the Act is its life cycle approach wherein special provisions for supplementary nutrition have been made for pregnant women and lactating mothers and children in the age group of 6 months to 14 years.
- The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards under the Act.
Q. Discuss the challenges faced by India in attaining food security even after attaining self sufficiency in Food production.
Promotion of Organic Farming
- Government has been promoting organic/natural farming through dedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER).
- Farmers are provided financial assistance of Rs 31000/ ha / 3 years under PKVY and Rs 32500/ ha/ 3years under MOVCDNER for organic inputs such as seeds, bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, organic manure, compost/ vermi-compost, botanical extracts etc.
- In addition to above, support is also provided for group/ Farmers Producers Organization (FPO) formation, training, certification, value addition and marketing of their organic produce.
- Organic cultivation on either side of River Ganga under National Mission of Clean Ganga(NMCG) , natural farming, large area certification and support for individual farmers have also been introduced under PKVY to increase area under organic farming
Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP), a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21 is promoted for traditional indigenous practices .The scheme mainly emphasizes on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow dung-urine formulations and plant based preparations.
- Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.
Organic Farming has also been supported under other schemes viz. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Network Project on Organic Farming under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- Individual and small organic farmers groups (5-50 farmers) may also get registered with State Agriculture Department and nearby Regional Council (RC)of Participatory Guarantee System- India (PGS-India) to certify their farm as organic under PGS. Assistance of Rs. 2700/ha for 3 years is provided for PGS Certification (Cost of Certification is directly reimbursed to Regional Council of PGS- India)
- At present organic farming is taken up in an area of 38.09 lakh hectares in the country including 6.19 lakh hectares under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), 1.23 lakh hectare under Namami Gange Programme, 4.09 lakh hectare under BPKP (Natural Farming), and 26.57 lakh hectares under National Program for Organic Production (NPOP).
- Maximum Area Under Organic Farming- Madhya Pradesh (1020017.98 hc), First Fully Organic State - Sikkim (Both of these info were 2 marker questions in NABARD Grade A Mains 2021)
Q. What is organic farming ? Should a country like India go for organic farming ? Discuss the scope and limitations of organic farming in India
Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Scheme
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Support to State Extension Programs for Extension Reforms” popularly known as ATMA Scheme is under implementation since 2005.
- Presently, Scheme is being implemented in 691 districts of 28 states & 5 UTs in the country. The scheme promotes decentralized farmer-friendly extension system in the country.
- The objectives of the Scheme is to support State Government’s efforts and to make available latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices in different thematic areas of agriculture and allied areas to farmers through different extension activities viz; Farmers Training, Demonstrations, Exposure Visits, Kisan Mela, Mobilization of Farmers Groups and organizing Farm Schools etc
Q. Discuss the Importance of Farm Mechanization to promote sustainable agriculture in India and attain food security.
Scheme for FPOs
- The Government of India has launched the Central Sector Scheme for “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the year 2020. The scheme has a total budgetary outlay of Rs.6865 Crores.
- Under this scheme, there is a provision for handholding support for a period of five years to each new FPO formed, and financial assistance to the tune of Rs.18 lakhs to each FPO under the scheme towards management cost for 3 years and also matching equity grant upto Rs. 2,000 per farmer member of FPO with a limit of Rs. 15.00 lakh per FPO and a credit guarantee facility upto Rs. 2 crore of project loan per FPO from eligible lending institutions to ensure institutional credit accessibility to FPOs.
- In order to ensure access to credit from Banks and Financial Institutions, a dedicated Fund of up to Rs. 1,500.00 crore will be created as Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF).
- Out of Rs. 1,500.00 crore, Rs. 1,000.00 crore will be created, maintained and managed by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the rest Rs. 500.00 crore by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Q. Discuss the role of Farmer Produce Organization to double the farmers' income.
Zero Budget Farming
- Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP), a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21 is promoted for traditional indigenous practices including Zero Budget Farming
- The scheme mainly emphasizes on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow dung-urine formulations and plant based preparations
- Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.
- Until now, under BPKP, an area of 4.09 lakh ha. area has been covered and a total fund of Rs. 4980.99 lakh has been released in 8 States across the country
- The Government of Himachal Pradesh has launched a scheme named ‘Pratrik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana by adopting ‘Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF) (also called Zero Budget Natural Farming techniques).
- Government of Uttar Pradesh has proposed 98670 ha. area in 35 districts for Natural Farming with budget of Rs. 19722 lakhs. This would benefit 51450 farmers. This also includes the Prayagraj district covering 1000.2 hac. area with 913 farmers.
Q. What is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Discuss its advantages and disadvantages in Indian context.
Small Business for Farmers
- The government is implementing various policies/programmes/schemes for the welfare and increasing income of the farmers. It is up to the farmers to set up a business in their own farm land.
- Farmers can avail assistance under various schemes of the Government such as Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), creation of 10000 FPOs, Honey Mission and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), for setting up of value addition and processing units near to farm gate to help them improve marketability and market access to their produce.
- Farmers, including young farmers, can also set up start- ups under Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) - RAFTAAR having innovative solutions/ business ideas with assistance from Government.
Increasing Income of Farmers: Read it here (You are required to make note of it specially for NABARD Exam)
Programs for Dairy Development in India
As per Evaluation study of White Revolution conducted by NITI Aayog, the Dairy Development schemes of the Department were realigned/restructured for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26.
National Programme for Dairy Development
- Recently, National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) scheme has been restructured/realigned in July 2021. The restructured NPDD Scheme is implemented from 2021-22 to 2025-26 and have two components:
- Component ''A'' focuses towards creating/strengthening of infrastructure for quality milk testing equipment as well as primary chilling facilities.
- Component ''B'' (Dairying through Cooperatives-DTC) provides financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for creation of necessary dairy infrastructure, providing market linkages for the produce in villages and for strengthening of capacity building of stake- holding institutions from village to State level.
- Provision has been made to encourage dairy entrepreneurships by SHGs registered under State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) /National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) by availing financial assistance through NPDD (Component A).
Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)
- It was Launched in December 2017 with an Objective to create/ modernize the milk processing, chilling and value addition infrastructure in the form of loan with interest subvention of 2.5% (with effect from 11.09.2020).
- The Funding under DIDF is made available by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) through National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)/ National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
- The budgetary allocation for interest subvention for the FY 2021-22 is Rs.70 crore.
Promotion of Fishing Industry
- The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing a flagship scheme “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)- A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India” with highest ever investment of Rs. 20,050 crore for a period of five years with effect from the financial year 2020-21 to 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories(UTs).
- Besides, in order to address the infrastructure requirement for fisheries sector, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying during 2018-19 has created dedicated fund namely Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total funds size of Rs. 7522.48 crore.
- FIDF provides concessional finance to the Eligible Entities (EEs), including State Governments/Union Territories and State entities for development of identified fisheries infrastructure facilities through Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs) namely (i) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), (ii) National Cooperatives Development Corporation (NCDC) and (iii) All scheduled Banks.
- Under the FIDF, the Department of Fisheries provides interest subvention up to 3% per annum on the loans availed by the eligible entities from the Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs) for the identified fisheries projects.
Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities (SDCFPO)
- It was Launched during 2017-18 being implemented through National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with an objective of the scheme is to assist the Cooperative Societies and farmer producer organizations engaged in dairy activities by providing soft working capital loan to tide over the crisis on account of severely adverse market conditions or natural calamities.
- Due to Economic Impact of Covid-19 on Dairy Sector, a new component “interest subvention on Working capital loans for Dairy sector” was introduced with an outlay of Rs 203 Cr for 2020-21.
- SDCFPO has been approved as a part of Umbrella Scheme “ Infrastructure Development Fund “ from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 500 Cr. An amount of Rs.100 crore has been allocated during the FY 2021-22.
Promotion of Livestock/Fisheries in Tribal Areas
The Government is implementing various schemes for promotion and development of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries sector across the country including tribal areas such as:
- Rashtriya Gokul Mission
- National Programme for Dairy Development
- Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund
- Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities
- National Livestock Mission,
- Livestock Health and Disease Control
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
- National Animal Disease Control Programme
- Livestock Census and Integrated Sample Survey
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund
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