July 9th Current Affairs

1. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.

IN NEWS:

The Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today gave its approval to the following modifications in Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility under ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund’.

KEY POINTS:

• Eligibility has now been extended to State Agencies/APMCs, National & State Federations of Cooperatives, Federations of Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) and Federations of Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• At present Interest subvention for a loan upto Rs. 2 crore in one location is eligible under the scheme. In case, one eligible entity puts up projects in different locations then all such projects will be now be eligible for interest subvention for loan upto Rs. 2 crore.
• However, for a private sector entity there will be a limit of a maximum of 25  such projects. This limitation of 25 projects will not be applicable to state agencies, national and state federations of cooperatives, federations of FPOs and federation of SHGs.
• Location will mean physical boundary of a village or town having a distinct LGD (Local Government Directory) code.
• Each of such projects should be in a location having a separate LGD code.
• For APMCs, interest subvention for a loan upto Rs. 2 crore will be provided for each project of different infrastructure types e.g. cold storage, sorting, grading and assaying units, silos, et within the same market yard.
• The power has been delegated to Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to make necessary changes with regard to addition or deletion of beneficiary in such a manner so that basic spirit of the scheme is not altere
• The period of financial facility has been extended from 4 to 6 years upto 2025-26 and overall period of the scheme has been extended from 10 to 13 upto 2032-33.

SOURCE:TH

2. Madurai Malli

IN NEWS:

For ensuring that Indians living abroad get supplies of fresh flowers to deities at home and temples, consignments of Geographical Indications (GI) certified Madurai malli and other traditional flowers such as button rose, lily, chamanthi and marigold were exported today to USA and Dubai from Tamil Nadu.

KEY POINTS:

• Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) is one of the most popular flowers found across the world.
• The scent of Jasmine is synonymous with the splendor of Madurai’s Meenakshi temple, Madurai has emerged as a major market for the malligai grown inits neighbourhood, and has evolved into the ‘jasmine capital’ ofIndia.
• The flowers for the consignmentswere sourced from Nilakottai,Dindigul and Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu by APEDA registered M/s.VanguardExports,Coimbatore.
• The exporters of consignments were supported by professors from floriculture department of Tamil NaduAgriculture University, Coimbatore in adoption of packaging technology to increase the shelf life of the flowers.
• Directcontacts with the farmers to cultivate quality flowers were undertaken by the exporters and the initiative generated employment to about  130 women workers and about 30 skilled workers.
• During 2020-2021, fresh cut flowers jasmine flowers andbouquets (comprising of jasmine and other traditional flowers) valued at Rs 66.28 crores were exported to countries like USA,UAE, Singapore, etc.
• Out of which, value of Rs.11.84 crores wereexported from Tamil Nadu region through major airports of Chennai,Coimbatore and Madurai.

SOURCE:PIB

3. India and Gambia sign an MoU.

IN NEWS:

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India and the Public Service Commission, Office of the President, Republic of The Gambia signed an MoU on Refurbishing Personnel Administration and Governance Reforms.

KEY POINTS:

• The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjay Singh, Secretary on behalf of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and H.E. Mr. Lamin E. Singhateh, Charge d’Affairs on behalf of the Public Service Commission of the Gambia.
• The signing ceremony was attended virtually by senior officers of the Gambian Public Service Commission, Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador, Embassy of India, Senegal, which is accredited to the Gambia.
• The MoU aims at strengthening and promoting bilateral cooperation between the two countries in Personnel Administration and Governance Reforms.
• The cooperation in areas such as Improving Performance Management System in Government, Implementation of contributory Pension Scheme and, e-Recruitment in Government form part of the areas to be covered under the activities of MoU.
• It was mutually decided that towards formation of Work Plan, a meeting of Joint Working Group would be held soon.

SOURCE:IE

4. SPARSH.

IN NEWS:

The Ministry of Defence has implemented SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha).

KEY POINTS:

• It is an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.
• This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.
• A Pensioner Portal is available for pensioners to view their pension related information, access services and register complaints, if any.
• SPARSH envisages establishment of Service Centres to provide last mile connectivity to pensioners who may be unable to directly access the SPARSH portal.
• The two largest banks dealing with defence pensioners – State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) – have been co-opted as Service Centres.

Other Initiative Related to Defence Pensions:

One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme: It provides the payment of the same pension to military officers for the same rank for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement.

SOURCE:PIB

5. DRDO- AICTE launch M. Tech. Program in Defence Technology.

IN NEWS:

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have launched a regular MTech programme in Defence Technology.

KEY POINTS:

• Tech programme was launched to impart necessary theoretical and experimental knowledge, skill & aptitude in the areas of defence technology.
• MTech in defence technology programme can be conducted at any AICTE affiliated institutes or universities, NITs, IITs or private engineering institutes.
• Institute of Defence Scientists and Technologists (IDST) will provide support to all these institutes to conducting the M. Tech programme.
• It will be conducted in online as well as offline formats.
• This programme will also help in achieving ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Streams of M. Tech Programme

Tech in Defence program has six specialized streams viz., Aero technology, Combat Technology, Communication System & Sensors, Naval Technology, Directed Energy Technology and High Energy Materials Technology. Students will be given opportunities to conduct their main thesis work in DRDO laboratories, Defence PSUs and Industries.

SOURCE:IE