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Daily PIB/ 16 March

General Studies- III

Topic– Major crops – cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems – storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. 

Incentives for Green Farming

Context:

Government is promoting non chemical farming under the names of organic and natural farming through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Bharitya Prakratik  Krishi Padhati along the river Ganga.           

Incentives given:

The PKVY scheme is implemented in all the States across the country. 

  • Under this scheme, farmers are provided financial assistance of Rs 31000/ ha / 3 years for organic inputs such as seeds, bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, organic manure, compost/ vermi-compost, botanical extracts etc. 
  • In addition, support is also provided for group/ Farmers Producers Organization (FPO) formation, training, certification, value addition and marketing of their organic produce.  
  • Under Namami Gange Programme total Rs 120.49 crore fund (Rs 67.36 cr from RKVY & Rs 34.20 cr from PKVY) has been released for 6181 clusters and 123620 ha area covered.
  • Government is promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) which includes soil test based balanced and integrated use of chemical fertilizers.

What is the BPKP?

Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP), is introduced as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21.

  • It aimed for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including natural farming. 
  • The scheme mainly emphasizes on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs.
  • It promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching; use of cow dung-urine formulations; plant based preparations and  time to time working of soil for aeration. 
  • 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.

What is the ‘Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna’?

“Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY)” a sub-component of Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme under National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA).

  • It aims at development of sustainable models of organic farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science.
  • Its objective is to ensure long term soil fertility buildup, resource conservation and helps in climate change adapatation and mitigation. 

Key features of PKVY:

  • Under PKVY Organic farming is promoted through the adoption of the organic village by cluster approach and PGS certification.
  • Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50-acre land to take up the organic farming under the scheme.
  • The produce will be pesticide residue free and will contribute to improving the health of the consumer. 

What is Natural Farming? How is it different from Organic Farming? 

Natural farming is a system where the laws of nature are applied to agricultural practices.

  • This method works along with the natural biodiversity of each farmed area, encouraging the complexity of living organisms, both plants, and animals that shape each particular ecosystem to thrive along with food plants.
  • Natural farming is an ecological farming approach established by Masanobu Fukuoka (1913–2008), a Japanese farmer and philosopher, introduced in his 1975 book The One-Straw Revolution. 
  • Natural farming is a closed system, one that demands no human-supplied inputs and mimics nature.

Similarities between natural farming and organic farming:

  • Natural and organic both are chemical free and more or less poison free farming methods.
  • Both systems discourage farmers from using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides on plants and in all agricultural practices.
  • Both farming methods encourage farmers to use local breeds of seeds, and native varieties of vegetables, grains, pulses and other crops.
  •  
  • Organic and natural farming methods promote nonchemical and homemade pest control methods.

 Key differences between natural farming and organic farming:

In organic farming: organic fertilizers and manures like compost, vermicompost, cow dung manure, etc. are used and added to farmlands from external sources.

  • Organic farming still requires basic agro practices like plowing, tilting, mixing of manures, weeding, etc. to be performed.
  • Organic farming is still expensive due to the requirement of bulk manures, and it has an ecological impact on surrounding environments; 

 

In natural farming: neither chemical nor organic fertilizers are added to the soil. In fact, no external fertilizers are added to soil or give to plants whatsoever.

  • In natural farming, decomposition of organic matter by microbes and earthworms is encouraged right on the soil surface itself, which gradually adds nutrition in the soil, over the period.
  • In natural farming there no plowing, no tilting of soil and no fertilizers, and no weeding is done just the way it would be in natural ecosystems.
  • Whereas, natural agriculture is an extremely low-cost farming method, completely molding with local biodiversity.

There are many working models of natural farming all over the world, the zero-budget natural farming (ZBNF) is the most popular model in India.

General Studies- III

Topic- Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

FAME India scheme

Context:

Under FAME-India Scheme, incentives are provided to buyers of electric vehicles in the form of an upfront reduction in the purchase price of electric vehicles.  

  • As per the information received from Department of Revenue, at present the GST rate on electric vehicles is 5%.  
  • The GST rates are prescribed based on the recommendations of the GST Council. 
  • Electric vehicles are already at the lowest rate slab of 5%. 

Following steps have been taken by the Government for adoption of electric vehicles in the country:

  • The Government on 12th May, 2021 approved a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for   manufacturing of Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) in the country in order to bring down prices of battery in the country.  Drop in battery price will result in cost reduction of electric vehicles.
  • GST on electric vehicles has been reduced from 12% to 5%; GST on chargers/ charging stations for electric vehicles has been reduced from 18% to 5%.
  • Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) announced that battery-operated vehicles will be given green license plates and be exempted from permit requirements.
  • MoRTH issued a notification advising states to waive road tax on EVs, which in turn will help reduce the initial cost of EVs.

About FAME India scheme:

FAME-India Scheme is implementing by Department of Heavy Industry in order to promote manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicle technology and to ensure sustainable growth of the same.

  • FAME India is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan.
  • Main thrust of FAME is to encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies.
  • (FAME-India) Scheme proposes to give a push to electric vehicles (EVs) in public transport and seeks to encourage adoption of EVs by way of market creation and demand aggregation.

It is being implemented in two phases:

  1. Phase-I [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India] from 1st April 2015.
  2. The Phase-II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles.

FAME-India Scheme Phase-I:

  • Under Phase-I of FAME-India Scheme, the Government has supported about 500 charging stations to establish electric vehicle charging stations in the country.
  • Out of about 500 charging stations sanctioned under Phase-I of FAME-India Scheme about 230 charging stations have been installed.
  • Further, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power has deployed 65 public charging stations for EVs in the country.

 

FAME-India Scheme Phase-II:

  • FAME 2 scheme aims to boost electric mobility and increase the number of electric vehicles in commercial fleets.
  • The government will provide the incentives for electric buses, three-wheelers and four-wheelers to be used for commercial purposes.
  • The centre will invest in setting up charging stations, with the active participation of public sector units and private players.
  • Projects for charging infrastructure will include those needed to extend electrification for running vehicles such as pantograph charging and flash charging.
  • FAME 2 will also encourage interlinking of renewable energy sources with charging infrastructure.

Significance:

India needs auto industry’s active participation to ease electric mobility transition. The auto and battery industries could collaborate to enhance customer awareness and promote domestic manufacturing.

Government needs to focus on a phased manufacturing plan to promote EVs, provide fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for phased manufacturing of EVs and batteries.

General Studies-II

Topic- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has been focusing on progressive growth of the seaweed sector. 

  • In this regard, financial assistances provided for culture rafts and monolines/tubenets along with inputs at a unit costs Rs 1500 and Rs 8000 respectively for seaweed cultivation under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
  • Projects with total cost of Rs. 6258.085 lakh with central share of Rs. 2089.175 lakh have been approved under PMMSY during FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22 (till date) for various States/Union Territories (UT) and R&D institutions.
  • A proposal for establishment of Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu has been received for assistance under PMMSY. 

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

PMMSY is a scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector.

The PMMSY will be implemented as an umbrella scheme with two separate Components, namely

  1. Central Sector Scheme (CS) and 
  2. Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). 

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) Component is further segregated into Non-beneficiary oriented and Beneficiary orientated subcomponents/activities under the following three broad heads:

  • Enhancement of Production and Productivity
  • Infrastructure and Post-Harvest Management         
  • Fisheries Management and Regulatory Framework

Objectives:

  • PMMSY aims to promote sustainable fish production systems/methods with minimal environmental impacts to support more crop per drop. 
  • It focusses on infrastructure, species diversification, sustainable livelihoods, aquatic health management, robust database, innovations, collectivization, modernization of value chain, export promotion, establishing a robust fisheries management framework.

Chrome facts for Prelims

Indian Navy’s oldest Hydrographic Survey Ship

INS Sandhayak, the Indian Navy’s oldest Hydrographic Survey Vessel was decommissioned at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam after serving the nation for 40 glorious years.

  • During her 40 years of illustrious service in the Indian Navy, INS Sandhayak undertook over 200 major hydrographic surveys in Western and Eastern coasts of the Indian peninsula, the Andaman Sea.
  • It also performed surveys in neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

‘Adopt a Heritage’ project

“Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan” Project is a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and State/ UTs Governments.

  • The project aims to encourage companies from public sector, private sector, trusts, NGOs, individuals and other stakeholders to become ‘Monument Mitras’ and take up the responsibility of developing and upgrading the basic and advanced tourist amenities.
  • They would also look after the Operation & Maintenance of the same.
  • The project was launched in 2017 on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

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