GS- 2nd Paper
Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.
‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana
Context
Around 7.6 crore farmers in the country have been granted benefit under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana’.
About the PM KISAN Yojana
- The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan)is a cash transfer programme for farmers.
- PM KISAN is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
- It has become operational from 1December, 2018.
- Under the scheme an income support of Rs.6000/- per year in three equal instalmentswill be provided to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares.
- Definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
- State Goverment and UT Administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
- The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
- There are various Exclusion Categories for the scheme.
Extended PM-Kisan scheme
- PM-KISAN Scheme extension to include all eligible farmer families irrespective of the size of land holdings.
- It extends the benefit of Rs 6,000 per year under the PM-KISAN scheme to all farmers in the country.
- The revised Scheme is expected to cover around 2 crore more farmers.
- It increases the coverage of PM-KISAN to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries, with an estimated expenditure by Central Government of Rs. 87,217.50 crores for year 2019-20.
Significance
- Around 12 crore small and marginal farmer families are expected to benefit from this.
- It would not only provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, but would also meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season.
- It would pave the way for the farmers to earn and live a respectable living.
Concerns about the Scheme
- PM-Kisan yojana completely disregards landless tenants and poor rural households that do not own land.
- The amount transferred under the scheme accounts only a tenth of the production cost per hectare or consumption expenditure for a poor household.
- The support is largely symbolic and not sustentative.
- The cash transfer is not linked to the size of the farmer’s landholding.
- There has been a huge delay in disbursements.
- PM-Kisan provides for a timely intervention to support the farmer’s needs.
- But this must not become the excuse for withholding the large structural reforms in agriculture the country is in dire need of, both in interests of farmers and consumers.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.
Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme
Context
Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) is a unique Weather based Insurance Product designed to provide insurance protection against losses in crop yield resulting from adverse weather incidences.
About
- WBCIS provides payout against adverse rainfall incidence (both deficit & excess) during Kharif and adverse incidence in weather parameters like frost, heat, relative humidity, un-seasonal rainfall etc. during Rabi.
- It is not Yield guarantee insurance.
Crops covered
- Major Food crops (Cereals, Millets & Pulses) & Oilseeds
- Commercial / Horticultural crops
Farmers covered
- All farmers including sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing the notified crops in the notified areas are eligible for coverage.
- However, farmers should have insurable interest on the insured crop.
- The non-loanee farmers are required to submit necessary documentary evidence of land records and / or applicable contract / agreements details (in case of sharecroppers / tenant farmers).
- All farmers availing Seasonal Agricultural Operations (SAO) loans from Financial Institutions (i.e. loanee farmers) for the crop(s) notified are covered on compulsory basis.
- The Scheme is optional for the non-loanee farmers. They can choose between WBCIS and PMFBY, and also the insurance company.
Perils Covered
- Rainfall– Deficit Rainfall, Excess rainfall, Unseasonal Rainfall, Rainy days, Dry-spell, Dry days
- Relative Humidity
- Temperature– High temperature (heat), Low temperature
Wind Speed
- A combination of the above
- Hailstorms, cloud-burst may also be covered as Add-on/Index-Plus products for those farmers who have already taken normal coverage under WBCIS.
- The perils listed above are only indicative and not exhaustive, any addition deletion may be considered by insurance companies based on availability of relevant data.
- Both public sector and private sectorGeneral Insurance Companies can implement WBCIS.
Under Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), - There is one premium rate on pan-Indiabasis for farmers which are maximum 1.5%, 2% and 5% of sum insured for Rabi, Kharif and annual horticultural/ commercial crops, respectively.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.
Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
Context
The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) is targeted at development of Mega Handloom Clusters in clearly identifiable geographical locations.
About
The CHCDS has been formulated by merging all the major components of other schemes, i.e.
1.Integrated Handlooms Development scheme (IHDS)
2.Market and Export Promotion Scheme (MEPS)
3.Diversified Handloom Development Scheme (DHDS)
- The CHCDS will follow a need based approach for the integrated and holistic development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers.
Objectives
- To enhance the competitiveness of selected two clusters in terms of increased market share and ensuring increased productivity by higher unit value realization of the products.
- To ensure effective integration of scattered artisans, building their grass roots enterprises and linking them to SMEs in the sector to build critical mass for customized interventions and ensure economies of scale in operations.
- To generate additional livelihood opportunities to the people through specific intervention in segmental sub sector industry and increase the incomes to the artisans/craftsmen already engaged in this sector.
- To provide requisite support/ linkages in terms of adequate infrastructure, technology, product diversification, design development, raw material banks, marketing & promotion, social security and other components that are vital for sustainability of artisans/craftsmen engaged in the Handicrafts sector.
The core elements of the strategy
- The core elements of the strategy for the proposed program are given below
- Convergence of the resources available under various ongoing schemes of the Central Government.
- Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in the form of collaboration between the Central/State Governments, beneficiary artisans & their groups, financially creditworthy & commercially linked marketing enterprises and the financial Institutions.
- Proactive and strong technical and program management assistance for capacity building, designing of the interventions and their implementation, through a competent professional agency.
For Prelims
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
Context
New National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campuses at Panchkula (Haryana) and Ranchi (Jharkhand) have been approved by the Board of Governors of NIFT.
About NIFT
- NIFT is the pioneering institute of fashion education in the country and has been in the vanguard of providing professional human resource to the textile and apparel industry.
- It was setup 1986.
- It was made a statutory institute in 2006 by an Act of the Indian Parliament.
- Over the years NIFT has been working as a knowledge service provider to the Union and State governments in the area of design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts.
4th India Water Impact Summit
Highlights
- 4th India Water Impact Summit is organized by Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) led by IIT Kanpur.
- The Summit this year will focus on integrated water resources management in urban and rural settings in order to achieve the Government’s goal of providing water to every household in the next 5 years.
- The Summit will also host the 2nd “Water Finance Forum”.
- It will bring together global financial institutions and investors keen on investing in the rejuvenation of the largest environmental programme.
