[Mission 2024] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 21 October 2023

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Agriculture

Source: IE

 Context: In the past two years, Eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) has seen significant growth in vegetable and fruit exports. This growth is attributed to Farmer Producers’ Organizations (FPOs) that have played a pivotal role in promoting cluster-based farming, facilitating technology adoption, and helping farmers market their produce.

What are FPOs?

FPOs are voluntary organizations controlled by their farmer-members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions to improve their own socio-economic situation and that of their communities.

Objectives:

To Leverage economies of scale in production and marketing to enhance productivity through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use for ensuring sustainable income-oriented farming

Role of FPOs in Modernizing Indian Agriculture:

Issues Facing FPOs:

• Lack of/ Inadequate Professional Management – Trained rural manpower is scarce for professional FPO management.
• Weak Financials – FPOs primarily comprise small and marginal farmers with limited resources, hindering their ability to provide quality products and services initially.
• Inadequate Access to Credit – Credit guarantee schemes require FPOs to have a minimum of 500 shareholder members, leaving many small FPOs without access to credit benefits.
• Lack of Risk Mitigation Mechanism – Existing insurance schemes cover production risks for farmers but do not address business risks for FPOs.
• Inadequate Access to Markets – FPOs struggle with limited connections to industry players, large retailers, and other market participants.
• Inadequate Access to Infrastructure – FPOs lack essential facilities like transport, storage, value addition, processing, brand building, and marketing.
• Lack of Technical Skills/Awareness – Farmers often lack awareness of the benefits of collective farming, and there is a shortage of competent agencies to provide support.

Government steps to address various agricultural issues:

UP Government Support for FPOs:

• Formation Plans: The Centre aims to establish 10,000 FPOs nationwide. In Uttar Pradesh (UP), the goal is to create one FPO in each of its 826 blocks annually for five years.
• Dedicated Support: UP has a specialized FPO cell to guide these organizations, ensuring scheme convergence and addressing compliance.
• FPO Shakti Portal: Launched in UP, it offers grievance redressal and business partnership opportunities for FPOs. As of July 15, 1,600 FPOs with a turnover of Rs 229 crore have registered on the portal.
• Financial Assistance: The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund provides FPOs with a 3% interest subvention. UP adds another 3%, reducing loan interest to around 3%.
• Subsidies: Both Central and state-sponsored schemes offer capital subsidies, encouraging post-harvest infrastructure development.

Conclusion:

To improve FPOs, there is a need to scale and strengthen FPOs, amend the APMC Act for fee exemptions, build farm-level infrastructure, enable MSP procurement, attract private investors, extend funding schemes, create flexible policies, and conduct rural farmer awareness programs.

Insta Links:

Farmer Producer Organizations

Mains Links:

“In the villages itself, no form of credit organization will be suitable except the cooperative society.” – All Indian rural credit survey. Discuss this statement in the background of agriculture finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supply agricultural finances? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients? (UPSC 2014)

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: EIA

Source: TH

 Context: This article discusses the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with respect to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem

What is EIA and its evolution?

Need for EIA in the Himalayn Region:

Suggestions:

• Address the needs of mountainous regions like the Himalayas in all four stages of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Screening, scoping, public consultation, and appraisal.
• Modify the criteria for projects requiring Environmental Clearance to align with the ecological needs of mountainous regions.
• Include clauses in the general conditions for all projects regarding the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) or mountainous areas with specific characteristics to hold project proponents accountable.
• Utilize the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) diligently as a powerful regulatory tool to promote sustainable development in the IHR and the entire country.

For recent changes in EIA notifications: Click Here

Conclusion:

A differentiated risk management approach for the IHR in the EIA process and the introduction of a national-level regulator are suggested as potential solutions to address these challenges effectively.

Insta Links:

• EIA Amendments

Mains Link:

1. Environmental Impact Assessment studies are increasingly undertaken before a project is cleared by the Government. Discuss the environmental impacts of coal-fired thermal plants located at coal pitheads. ( UPSC 2014)

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

 Context: Geologists have made a remarkable discovery of coral reef fossils at an elevation of 18,000 feet above sea level in the Burtse region, Eastern Ladakh Himalayas.

• These fossils reveal the existence of ancient coral colonies and provide insights into a previously unknown geological past of the Burtse region, suggesting the presence of a diverse marine ecosystem.

The findings support the idea that the Himalayas emerged when continental plates were thrust out of the Tethys Sea about 40 million years ago.

Significance:

The discovery of coral reef fossils in Ladakh is significant because it indicates that this region, now a high-altitude desert, was once submerged under a vast ocean. This finding offers insights into Ladakh’s geological history, the impact of tectonic activity, and ancient climate conditions.

About the Coral reefs

 They are underwater ecosystems composed of coral colonies held together by calcium carbonate, which are vital for marine ecology.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: HT

 Context: The Supreme Court has instructed the Indian government and all states and union territories to promptly appoint district officers under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (POSH) Act.

Need for Direction:  The court noted a lack of uniformity in implementing the Act and non-implementation of the Act in several instances

Directions of SC:

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

 Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has approved the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II – Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for a 13 GW Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh.

What is GEC?

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

 Context: Parents of children suffering from Niemann-Pick disease, a rare genetic disorder affecting fat metabolism, are urging the Indian government to include it in the National Policy for Rare Diseases.

What is Niemann-Pick disease?

Niemann-Pick disease refers to a group of inherited metabolic disorders in which abnormal amounts of lipids (fatty materials such as waxes, oils, and cholesterol) build up in the brain, spleen, liver, lungs, and bone marrow.

Symptoms: Enlarged liver and spleen, difficulty in coordinating movement, frequent respiratory infections, slurred speech among others.

Causes: This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, where both gene copies must be faulty to manifest the disease.

Occurrences: Niemann-Pick disease affects one in 250,000 individuals and is expensive to treat.

What is the National Policy for Rare Diseases?

The National Policy for Rare Diseases is a government initiative designed to address and provide support for individuals suffering from rare and uncommon medical conditions.

Significance:

This inclusion would provide financial support to eligible patients and grant access to the expensive enzyme replacement therapy, Xenpozyme. The Drug Controller General of India recently permitted a pharma company to import and market Xenpozyme after US FDA approval.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

 Context: INS Imphal, India’s third indigenous stealth destroyer of the Project 15B class, was delivered to the Indian Navy four months ahead of schedule by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

Features:

It’s the first warship with accommodation for women officers and sailors, can carry 312 crew, has a 4,000 nautical mile range, and is armed with Brahmos missiles, Barak-8 missiles, and anti-submarine weapons. This class of destroyers is more versatile than previous ones and capable of various maritime missions.

Various Projects of the Indian Navy:

Sports:

Source: DH

 Context: The Prime Minister recently congratulated Raunak Sadhwani on his victory at the FIDE World Junior Rapid Chess Championship 2023

About FIDE World Cup:

The FIDE World Cup, established in 2000 by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), encompasses various iterations. Since 2005, it’s been a 128-player single-elimination chess tournament, a vital part of the World Chess Championship qualification. The format includes 7 rounds of “mini-matches” with 2 games each, followed by rapid and blitz tiebreaks if needed. The final consists of 4 games before tiebreaks.

Mapping

Source: The Print

 The United States signed a new 20-year agreement with the Marshall Islands worth over $2 billion in economic assistance.

This deal is part of the Compacts of Free Associations (COFAs), which involve the U.S. providing defence and economic aid to certain Pacific island nations, and gaining military access to strategic ocean areas.

This agreement follows similar deals with Palau and Micronesia and is aimed at strengthening U.S. influence in the Northern Pacific amid competition with China.

About Marshall Islands:

It is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, known for its atolls and islands. Its history includes Spanish and German influence, Japanese occupation during World War I, and U.S. administration post-World War II, including nuclear tests. It gained independence in 1979 through a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

To know about FIPIC: Click here