National Bamboo Mission

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

The restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) has been launched.

National Bamboo Mission :

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme

Objectives :

To increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and contribute towards resilience to climate change as well as availability of quality raw material for industries.
To improve post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units near the source of production, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and market infrastructure.
To promote product development keeping in view market demand, by assisting R&D, entrepreneurship & business models at micro, small and medium levels and feed bigger industry.
To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo industry in India.
To promote skill development, capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector from production to market demand.
To re-align efforts so as to reduce dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products by way of improved productivity and suitability of domestic raw material for industry, so as to enhance income of the primary producers.

Source :- PIB

Setting up of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

Context :

Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, is promoting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by mobilizing the farmers and helping them in registering as companies.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) :

A Producer Organisation (PO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, craftsmen.
- PO is a generic name for an organization of producers of any produce, e.g., agricultural, non-farm products, artisan products, etc.
A PO can be a production company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for sharing of profits/benefits among the members. In some forms like producer companies, institutions of primary producers can also become a member of PO.
The concept of 'Farmer Producer Organizations, (FPO)' consists of collectivization of producers especially small and marginal farmers so as to form an effective alliance to collectively address many challenges of agriculture such as improved access to investment, technology, inputs, and markets. FPO is one type of PO where the members are farmers.
The FPOs are generally mobilized by promoting institutions/resource agencies (RAs). Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is providing support for the promotion of FPOs.
The resource agencies leverage the support available from governments and agencies like NABARD to promote and nurture FPOs, but attempting an assembly line for mass production of FPOs has not given the desired results.

Source :- PIB

Infestation by Pink Bollworm

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

As report by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) - Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), pink bollworm infestation is not forcing farmers to use unapproved GM hybrid varieties of cotton.

Pink Bollworm :

The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), is an insect known for being a pest in cotton farming.
The pink bollworm is native to Asia, but has become an invasive species in most of the world’s cotton-growing regions.
In parts of India, the pink bollworm is now resistant to first generation transgenic Bt cotton (Bollgard cotton) that expresses a single Bt gene (Cry1Ac).
Monsanto has admitted that this variety is ineffective against the pink bollworm pest in parts of Gujarat, India.

Source :- PIB

Broadband Readiness Index

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential

Context :

The Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) for Indian States and Union Territories (UT).

Broadband Readiness Index :

The development of BRIwill be a collaborative exercise with stakeholders including State governments and industry associations
This will be a first of its kind exercise that will comprehensively measure the development of telecom infrastructure at the sub national level.
The BRI was recommended by National Digital Communication Policy (NDCP) 2018
- NCDP acknowledged the need for building a robust digital communications infrastructure leveraging existing assets of the broadcasting and power sectors including collaborative models involving state, local bodies and the private sector.
The first estimate will be made in 2019 and subsequently every year until 2022.
The index will appraise the condition of the underlying digital infrastructure and related factors at the State/UT level. Such an exercise will provide useful insights into strategic choices made by States for investment allocations in ICT programmes.
The index will encourage states to cross learn and jointly participate in achieving the overall objective of digital inclusion and development in India.
- The framework will not only evaluate a state’s relative development but will also allow for better understanding of a state’s strengths and weaknesses that can feed into evidence-based policy making.
The BRI consists of two parts.
- Part I will focus on infrastructure development based on the measurement of nine parameters.
- Part II consists of demand side parameters which will be captured through primary surveys.
  - It will include indicators such as percentage of households using computers/ laptops with internet connection,
  - percentage of households with fixed broadband connection, internet users as a percentage of the population, smart phones density,
  - percentage of households with at least one digitally literate member, etc.
The primary survey will be conducted annually until 2022.

Source :- PIB

Formation of National Rural Bank

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance in its Report recommended that Government may consider the setting up of an apex body viz. National Rural Bank of India.

Background :

The proposal for consolidating the RRBs under a National Rural Bank or NABARD has not been favoured so far for various reasons.
Sponsor Banks were supportive of the proposal but most of the States favoured state level amalgamation without any additional financial support.”

Steps taken by government to strengthen the RRBs :

Government had initiated the process of structural consolidation of RRBs in 2004-05 by amalgamating RRBs of the same Sponsor Bank within a State. The amalgamation process brought down the number of RRBs from 196 to 82.
Recapitalization support is provided to RRBs to augment their capital so as to comply with regulatory capital requirements.
Periodic review of financial performance of RRBs, including business diversifications, profit planning, revenue management and NPA management through conduct of national level meetings by NABARD.
Regular Capacity building efforts are undertaken by NABARD like training at Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), conduct of Organizational Development Initiative (ODI), exposure visits, etc.
NABARD provides regular policy support to RRBs in matters relating to human resources and an arrangement has been made for redressal of grievances through Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).

Source :- PIB

Eradicating TB by 2025

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

The Ministry has developed the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis (2017-2025) with the goal of ending TB by 2025.

Key Focus Area :

Early diagnosis of all the TB patients, prompt treatment with quality assured drugs and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence.
Engaging with the patients seeking care in the private sector.
Prevention strategies including active case finding and contact tracing in high risk / vulnerable population
Airborne infection control.
Multi-sectoral response for addressing social determinants.

National Strategic Plan for TB :

It encapsulates the bold and innovative steps required to eliminate TB in India by the year 2025.

Vision : TB - Free India with zero deaths, disease and poverty due to tuberculosis.
Goal : To achieve a rapid decline in burden of TB, morbidity and mortality while working towards elimination of TB in India by 2025.

Objective (Detect-Treat-Prevent-Build)
- Detect: Find all Drug Sensitive TB and Drug Resistant TB cases with an emphasis on reaching TB patients seeking care from private providers and undiagnosed TB in high-risk populations.
- Treat: Initiate and sustain all patients on appropriate anti-TB treatment wherever they seek care, with patient friendly systems and social support.
- Prevent the emergence of TB in susceptible populations.
- Build and strengthen enabling policies, empowered institutions, additional human resources with enhanced capacities, and provide adequate financial resources.

Global TB report 2018 :

According to the World Health Organization Global TB report 2018,
In the year 2017, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions, with 62% of new cases, followed by the African region, with 25% of new cases.
Also, eight countries accounted for two thirds of the new TB cases: India,China,Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.
According to the WHO’s 2018 Global TB Report, nearly half of the world's MDR-TB cases are in India (24 %), China (13 %), and Russia (10 %).
The estimated number of TB cases in India in 2017 was 27,40,000, amounting incidence of 204 per lakh population.

Source :- PIB

20 million children worldwide missed out on life-saving vaccines last year

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

According to data by the WHO and UNICEF,One in 10 children which is almost 20 million globally has missed out on life saving vaccines in 2018.

Key Highlights :

The report also showed that an additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided if global immunisation coverage improved.
Globally, since 2010, vaccination coverage with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) and one dose of the measles vaccine had stalled at 86 %.
In 2018, an estimated 19.4 million infants worldwide were not reached with routine immunisation services such as three doses of DTP vaccine. Around 60% of these children live in 10 countries: Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam.
95 percent coverage is needed – globally, across countries, and communities - to protect against outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Further,the data provides that ten countries accounted for 11.7 of the 19.4 million under and non-vaccinated children in the world in particular Nigeria (three million), India (2.6 million) and Pakistan (1.4 million).
The best regional performer for vaccine reach in 2018 was Europe with more than 90 % coverage rate.However,Africa was the lowest performing region.
The data also provides that some 350,000 measles cases were reported globally last year which is more than double the 2017 number.
- Ukraine has been identified as the country with the highest measles incidence rate in 2018.

Measles:

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It remains an important cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.
Under the Global Vaccine Action Plan, measles and rubella are targeted for elimination in five WHO Regions by 2020.
Measles is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.
Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

Source :- The Hindu

Schools turn nutrition gardens in Mizoram district

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

Kan Sikul, Kan Huan (My School, My Farm) is an initiative of District Administration of Lawngtlai, Mizoram.

Kan Sikul, Kan Huan (My School, My Farm) :

The aim of the initiative is to make every school, Anganwadi, Child care institution and hostel in Lawngtlai, self-sufficient in local variety of fruits and vegetables by March 2020.
By doing so, the initiative seeks to reduce malnutrition among children.
- Lawngtlai has 35.3% stunted, 21.3% underweight and 5.9% severely wasted children under 5 — highest in Mizoram.
The initiative is a convergence of Centre’s Poshan Abhiyan with regular activities of departments such as Agriculture and Horticulture.

POSHAN ABHIYAAN :

POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) was launched by the government on March 8, 2018.
The Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.
The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022.
POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to ensure service delivery and interventions by use of technology, behavioural change through convergence and lays-down specific targets to be achieved across different monitoring parameters.

Source :- The Hindu

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17th JULY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

National Bamboo Mission

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

The restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) has been launched.

National Bamboo Mission :

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme

Objectives :

To increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and contribute towards resilience to climate change as well as availability of quality raw material for industries.

To improve post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units near the source of production, primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and market infrastructure.

To promote product development keeping in view market demand, by assisting R&D, entrepreneurship & business models at micro, small and medium levels and feed bigger industry.

To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo industry in India.

To promote skill development, capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector from production to market demand.

To re-align efforts so as to reduce dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products by way of improved productivity and suitability of domestic raw material for industry, so as to enhance income of the primary producers.

Source :- PIB

Setting up of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

Context :

Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, is promoting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by mobilizing the farmers and helping them in registering as companies.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) :

A Producer Organisation (PO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, craftsmen.

PO is a generic name for an organization of producers of any produce, e.g., agricultural, non-farm products, artisan products, etc.

A PO can be a production company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for sharing of profits/benefits among the members. In some forms like producer companies, institutions of primary producers can also become a member of PO.

The FPOs are generally mobilized by promoting institutions/resource agencies (RAs). Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is providing support for the promotion of FPOs.

The resource agencies leverage the support available from governments and agencies like NABARD to promote and nurture FPOs, but attempting an assembly line for mass production of FPOs has not given the desired results.

Source :- PIB

Infestation by Pink Bollworm

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

As report by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) - Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), pink bollworm infestation is not forcing farmers to use unapproved GM hybrid varieties of cotton.

More in the News:

State of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,due to major interventions both on management and policy decisions no severe incidence of pink bollworm was reported during 2018-19.

The pest was effectively managed and was kept below the Economic Threshold level (ETL).

Pink Bollworm :

The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), is an insect known for being a pest in cotton farming.

The pink bollworm is native to Asia, but has become an invasive species in most of the world’s cotton-growing regions.

In parts of India, the pink bollworm is now resistant to first generation transgenic Bt cotton (Bollgard cotton) that expresses a single Bt gene (Cry1Ac).

Monsanto has admitted that this variety is ineffective against the pink bollworm pest in parts of Gujarat, India.

Source :- PIB

Broadband Readiness Index

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential

Context :

The Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) for Indian States and Union Territories (UT).

Broadband Readiness Index :

The development of BRIwill be a collaborative exercise with stakeholders including State governments and industry associations

This will be a first of its kind exercise that will comprehensively measure the development of telecom infrastructure at the sub national level.

The BRI was recommended by National Digital Communication Policy (NDCP) 2018

NCDP acknowledged the need for building a robust digital communications infrastructure leveraging existing assets of the broadcasting and power sectors including collaborative models involving state, local bodies and the private sector.

The first estimate will be made in 2019 and subsequently every year until 2022.

The index will appraise the condition of the underlying digital infrastructure and related factors at the State/UT level. Such an exercise will provide useful insights into strategic choices made by States for investment allocations in ICT programmes.

The index will encourage states to cross learn and jointly participate in achieving the overall objective of digital inclusion and development in India.

The framework will not only evaluate a state’s relative development but will also allow for better understanding of a state’s strengths and weaknesses that can feed into evidence-based policy making.

The BRI consists of two parts.

Part I will focus on infrastructure development based on the measurement of nine parameters.

Part II consists of demand side parameters which will be captured through primary surveys.

It will include indicators such as percentage of households using computers/ laptops with internet connection,

percentage of households with fixed broadband connection, internet users as a percentage of the population, smart phones density,

percentage of households with at least one digitally literate member, etc.

The primary survey will be conducted annually until 2022.

Source :- PIB

Formation of National Rural Bank

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance in its Report recommended that Government may consider the setting up of an apex body viz. National Rural Bank of India.

Background :

The proposal for consolidating the RRBs under a National Rural Bank or NABARD has not been favoured so far for various reasons.

Sponsor Banks were supportive of the proposal but most of the States favoured state level amalgamation without any additional financial support.”

Steps taken by government to strengthen the RRBs :

Government had initiated the process of structural consolidation of RRBs in 2004-05 by amalgamating RRBs of the same Sponsor Bank within a State. The amalgamation process brought down the number of RRBs from 196 to 82.

Recapitalization support is provided to RRBs to augment their capital so as to comply with regulatory capital requirements.

Periodic review of financial performance of RRBs, including business diversifications, profit planning, revenue management and NPA management through conduct of national level meetings by NABARD.

Regular Capacity building efforts are undertaken by NABARD like training at Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), conduct of Organizational Development Initiative (ODI), exposure visits, etc.

NABARD provides regular policy support to RRBs in matters relating to human resources and an arrangement has been made for redressal of grievances through Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).

Source :- PIB

Eradicating TB by 2025

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

The Ministry has developed the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis (2017-2025) with the goal of ending TB by 2025.

Key Focus Area :

Early diagnosis of all the TB patients, prompt treatment with quality assured drugs and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence.

17^thJULY 2019 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS