GS PAPER II
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
Why in News
Government of India has been implementing dedicated scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2015-16 to promote chemical free organic farming in the country in cluster mode.
About Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is a sub-component of Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme under National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)/
- Its objective is to develop the sustainable models of organic farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science to ensure long term soil fertility build-up, resource conservation and helps in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
- It primarily aims to increase soil fertility and thereby helps in production of healthy food through organic practices without the use of agro-chemicals.
- PKVY also aims at empowering farmers through institutional development through clusters approach not only in farm practice management, input production, quality assurance but also in value addition and direct marketing through innovative means.
- Participatory Guarantee System under PGS-India programme will be the key approach for quality assurances under the PKVY.
- The farmers will have option to adopt any form of organic farming in compliance of PGS-India standards. While adopting a system it must be ensured that the system adopted is compatible to the area and crop and assures optimum yield and provides adequate measures to manage nutrients, pests and diseases.
- Under the programme, financial assistance of Rs 50000/ha/3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building, incentive for inputs, value addition and marketing.
- Out of it, Rs 31000/ ha / 3 years is provided for preparation / procurement of organic inputs such as bio/organic fertilisers, biopesticides, seeds etc. through DBT and Rs 8800/ ha/ 3 years is provided for value addition and marketing that includes post-harvest management practices like storage.
- A total fund of Rs 1197.64 cr has been released to states and UTs for the last four years under the programme.
- Financial assistance of Rs 3000 /hectare for 3 years is provided for Cluster formation (of 20 ha) and Capacity building including exposure visits, and trainings of field functionaries.
GS PAPER II
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
Why in News
As per the statement of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, numerous farmers have been benefited under major beneficiary-oriented schemes of the department.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is being implemented on actuarial/bidded premium rates however, farmers including small farmers have to pay maximum 2% for Kharif, 1.5% for Rabi food and oilseed crops and 5% for commercial/horticultural crops.
- The balance of actuarial/bided premium is shared by the Central and State Government on 50:50 basis and in case of North Eastern States on 90:10 basis from Kharif 2020.
- It provides comprehensive insurance coverage against crop loss on account of non-preventable natural risks, thus helping in stabilizing the income of the farmers and encourage them for adoption of innovative practices.
- It increased risk coverage of Crop cycle – pre-sowing to post-harvest losses.
- Area approach for settlement of claims for widespread damage. Notified Insurance unit has been reduced to Village/Village Panchayat for major crops.
Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- To provide insurance coverage and financial support to the farmers in the event of failure of any of the notified crop as a result of natural calamities, pests & diseases.
- To stabilise the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.
- To encourage farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices.
- To ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.
Salient feature of scheme
- Provides comprehensive insurance coverage against crop loss on account of non-preventable natural risks, thus helping in stabilizing the income of the farmers and encourage them for adoption of innovative practices.
- Increased risk coverage of Crop cycle – pre-sowing to post-harvest losses.
- Uniform seasonality discipline & Sum Insured for both loanee & non-loanee farmers
- Removal of the provision of capping on premium which led to reduction in sum insured to facilitate farmers to get claim against full sum insured without any reduction.
- Provision of claims upto 25% of sum insured for prevented sowing.
- “On-Account payment” upto 25% of sum insured for mid-season adversity, if the crop damage is reported more than 50% in the insurance unit.
- Use of Remote Sensing Technology, Smartphones & Drones for quick estimation of crop losses to ensure early settlement of claims.
- Crop Insurance Portal has been developed for ensuring better administration, co-ordination, transparency, dissemination of information and delivery of services including crediting the claim amount electronically to the individual farmer’s Bank Account.
- Focused attention on increasing awareness about the schemes among all stakeholders and appropriate provisioning of resources for the same.
- Making the scheme voluntary for all farmers instead of compulsory for loanee farmers.
GS PAPER II
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
Why in News
As per Ministry of State, Panchayati Raj, around 255524 number of Gram Panchayats increases from 223765 in 2018 under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
- In budget speech for 2016-17, the finance ministry announced the launch of new restructured scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
- It was launched in 2018 for developing and strengthening the capacities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for rural local governance to become more responsive towards local development needs, preparing the participatory plans that leverage technology, efficient and optimum utilization of available resources for realizing sustainable solutions to local problems linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The key principles of SDGs, i.e., leaving no one behind, reaching the farthest first and universal coverage, along with gender equality will be embedded in the design of all capacity building interventions including trainings, training modules and materials.
- The main objective of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan is to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions for achieving Sustainable Development Goals with main thrust on convergence with Mission Antyodaya.
- Its emphasis on strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions in 117 Aspirational districts.
Panchayati Raj Institutions
- Panchayati Raj is the Council of five officials and local self-government of villages in rural India as opposed to urban and suburban municipalities.
- They are tasked with “economic development, strengthening social justice and implementation of Central and State Government Schemes including those 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule.”
- Part IX of the Indian Constitution is the section of the Constitution relating to the Panchayats.
- It stipulates that in states or Union Territories with more than two million inhabitants there are three levels of PRIs:
- Gram Panchayats at village level;
- Panchayat Samiti at block level; and
- Zila Parishad at district level.
- It is instituted in the Indian Constitution in the year 1993 after the enactment of 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act
- The evolution of the Panchayati Raj System, however, got a fillip after the attainment of independence after the drafting of the Constitution.
- Article 40 of the Indian Constitution stated that: “the state shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government”.
- There were a number of committees appointed by the Government of India to study the implementation of self-government at the rural level and also recommend steps in achieving this goal.
- The committees appointed are as follows:
- Balwant Rai Mehta Committee;
- Ashok Mehta Committee G V K Rao Committee; and
- L M Singhvi Committee
Functions
- Implementation of schemes for the development of agriculture and infrastructure,
- Establishment of primary health centres and primary schools,
- Supply of clean drinking water, drainage and construction/repair of roads,
- Development of a cottage and small-scale industries, and the opening of cooperative societies, and
- Establishment of youth organisations in India.
GS PAPER III
Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
Why in News
In last three years, 1096 numbers of units of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across the country has been registered.
Key Points
- Total 336 numbers of units exited during the last three years.
- The reason of such winding of operations includes variations in international market conditions, Slowdown of orders, merger of units and COVID-19 pandemic etc.
- SEZs set up under SEZ law have largely or generally met their objectives.
- SEZs have touched new heights in terms of performance in Exports, Investment and Employment viz.
- The fiscal concessions and duty benefits allowed to SEZs are inbuilt into the SEZ Act, 2005 and are consistent with the guidelines for setting up SEZs as the larger economic initiatives of the Government in general.
Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
- A special economic zone (SEZ) is the region of country having different economic regulations than other regions within the same country.
- They are typically created in order to facilitate rapid economic growth by leveraging tax incentives to attract foreign investment and spark technological advancement.
- While many countries have set up special economic zones (SEZs), China has been the most successful in using SEZs to attract foreign capital.
- The first SEZs appeared in the late 1950s in industrialized countries. They were designed to attract foreign investment from multinational corporations.
- The first was in Shannon Airport in Clare, Ireland.
- In the 1970s, SEZs were also established in Latin American and East Asian countries.
- India was one of the first in Asia to recognize the effectiveness of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) model in promoting exports, with Asia’s first EPZ set up in Kandla in 1965.
Significance of Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
- They are usually created to facilitate rapid economic growth in certain geographic regions, is accomplished by leveraging tax incentives as a way of attracting foreign dollars and technological advancement.
- It also increases export levels for the implementing country and other countries that supply it with intermediate products.
- However, there is a risk that countries may abuse the system and use it to retain protectionist barriers in the form of taxes and fees.
- SEZs can also create a high level of bureaucracy due to their regulatory requirements.
- SEZs play a key role in rapid economic development of a country. In the early 1990s, it helped China and there were hopes that the establishment in India of similar export-processing zones could offer similar benefits provided, however, that the zones offered attractive enough concessions.
GS PAPER III
New Generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile
Why in News
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of New Generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on July 23, 2021.
Key Points
- The test was carried out against a high-speed unmanned aerial target which was successfully intercepted by the missile.
- The flight test has validated the functioning of complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed RF Seeker, Launcher, Multi-Function Radar and Command, Control & Communication system.
- The test was carried out amidst inclement weather conditions proving the all-weather capability of the weapon system.
- The new variant of the Akash missile (AkashNG) has a slightly better range compared to the original version that can strike targets at a distance of around 25 km.
- The missile is being developed to strengthen the combat capabilities of the Indian Army.
Akash missile
- The Akash (sky) is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system built by India’s state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- The missile was developed under the integrated guided-missile development programme (IGMDP). The programme also involved the development of the Nag, Agni and Trishul missiles, as well as the Prithvi ballistic missile.
- The Indian Air Force successfully test-fired the Akash missile from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur, Orissa, India in May 2012.
- The missile has since been successfully test fired in ripple mode against a floating object launched by a pilotless target aircraft in May 2014.
GS PAPER III
Agricultural Exports of India
Why in news
During 2020-21, agricultural exports of India have registered an increase of 17.37% as compared to exports during 2019-20.
Key Points
- To promote agricultural exports, the Government has introduced a comprehensive Agriculture Export Policy (AEP) to harness export potential of Indian agriculture and raise farmers’ income.
- Department of Commerce has taken several steps to implement AEP at State/ District level.
- State Level Monitoring Committees (SLMCs), Nodal Agencies for agricultural exports and Cluster Level Committees have been formed in a number of States and State-specific Action Plans have been prepared.
- A Farmer Connect Portal has been set up for providing a platform for farmers, Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs) and cooperatives to interact with exporters.
- Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs) have been organized in the clusters to provide export-market linkages.
Agriculture Export Policy (AEP)
- Agriculture Export Policy was introduced in December 2018 with a focus on agriculture export-oriented production, export promotion, better farmer realization and synchronization within policies and programmes of Government of India.
- Objectives of the Agriculture Export Policy are:
- To diversify export basket, destinations and boost high value- and value-added agricultural exports, including focus on perishables.
- To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
- To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and dealing with sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
- To strive to double India’s share in world agro exports by integrating with global value chains.
- Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed MoUs with AFC India Limited and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) in August 2020.
- It is required to have a “Farmers’ Centric Approach” for improved income through value addition at source itself which will help to minimize losses across the value chain.
- India needs to have farmer-oriented strategy to achieve the twin objective of food security and a prominent agriculture exporter of the world.
- It will also give a big push to food processing/manufacturing to have much higher growth in food production which will increase India’s share of value-added processed products in its Agriculture export basket at the global level.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
- The APEDA was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985.
- It promotes exports of agricultural & processed food products by providing assistance to the exporters under various components of its scheme such as Infrastructure Development, Quality Development and Market Development.
- APEDA also conducts international Buyer Seller Meets (BSM), Virtual trade fairs with importing countries to promote agricultural & processed food products.
- It headquarters situated at New Delhi and its five regional offices are at: Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Guwahati.
- APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the scheduled products viz. fruits, vegetables and their products; meat and meat products; poultry and poultry products; dairy products; confectionery, biscuits and bakery products; honey, jaggery and sugar products; cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; cereal and cereal products; groundnuts, peanuts and walnuts, pickles, papads and chutneys; guar gum; floriculture and floriculture products; herbal and medicinal plants.
- APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility to monitor import of sugar.