Saturday, March 17, 2018
THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 17.03.2018
Daily Current Affairs, 16th March 2018
VisionIAS
06:11
1) PM Inaugurates 105th Indian Science Congress In Imphal
•PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science Congress in Imphal, Manipur. The theme for ISC 2018 is 'reaching the unreached through science and technology'. This event is being held in Manipur for the first time and for the second time in the North-East. Earlier it was held at Shillong in 2009.
•The 5-day Congress will see the participation of over 5000 delegates comprising of scientists, scholars and corporate officials from different parts of the country and abroad.
2) Annual Krishi Unnati Mela Begins In New Delhi
•Lakhs of farmers and agriculture scientists will participate in the mela. The main theme pavilion will be based on Doubling of farmers income by 2022. The theme area will display different kinds of organic farming techniques like natural farming and eco farming.
3) WHO Member-Countries Commit To End TB By 2030
•The summit sets the stage for the September 2018 United Nations high-level meeting on TB, wherein the issue will be discussed at the Heads of State level. The UN meeting is likely to endorse a set of goals to put the world on course to ending TB.
4) Andhra Pradesh Stands At 51st Position In Global Multidimensional Poverty Index
•Andhra Pradesh stands at equivalent to 51st rank globally in Multidimensional Poverty Index (2017)according to a recent household survey conducted in the state. Andhra Pradesh becomes the first Indian state to conduct an exclusive household survey at state and district level to estimate the multidimensional poverty of the state.
•Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the Andhra Pradesh Multidimensional Poverty (MPI) Index Report 2017. As per the report Andhra Pradesh has an index value of 0.0825 whereas India as at 66th position with an index value of 0.1911.
•The study was conducted by Vision Management Unit, Planning Department, GoAP in collaboration with Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, UK.
5) Oklahoma To Become 1st US State To Use Nitrogen Gas For Executions
•Nitrogen is an odorless and tasteless gas that makes up about 78% of the air humans breathe but causes death when inhaled without any oxygen. Oklahoma has not carried out an execution since 2015.
6) Deepa Malik Becomes Asian Rank 1 In Javelin F-53 Category
•With this, she became the Asian rank one in the F-53 category. With the win, Deepa has also qualified for the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia, scheduled to be held in October 2018.
UPSC CSE 2018: Enhance your preparation with Online Mocks!
VisionIAS
00:36
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Friday, March 16, 2018
THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 16.03.2018
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Daily Current Affairs, 15th March 2018
VisionIAS
18:33
1) World Consumer Rights Day- 15 March
•The day is an opportunity to promote basic rights of all consumers, demanding that those rights are respected and protected. On this day in 1962, President John F Kennedy formally addressed the issue of consumer rights in US Congress and became first leader to do so.
2) President Of India Inaugurates World Hindi Secretariat In Mauritius
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of this building in 2015. Hindi has played an important role in culture and society building in both India and Mauritius.
3) Pune Tops In Improved Quality Governance: Survey
•Pune came on top in the fifth edition of the Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS), edging out Thiruvananthapuram which had topped the previous two editions of the survey. Bengaluru was ranked at the bottom.
•Thiruvananthapuram dropped two ranks to be placed third out of 23 cities spread across 20 states in the survey done by urban governance watchdog Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. The survey evaluated the quality of governance in India’s cities by assessing laws, policies and institutional processes currently in place.
•The top 5 cities in the list are-
1. Pune,
2. Kolkata,
3. Thiruvananthapuram,
4. Bhubaneswar, and
5. Surat.
4) World Happiness Report 2018: India Ranks 133rd, Finland Tops
•The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness. The World Happiness Report 2018, ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels, and 117 countries by the happiness of their immigrants.
•Burundi in East Africa is the unhappiest place in the world. The study reveals the US has slipped to 18th place, five places down on 2016. India ranks 133rd in the report after Pakistan (75th), China (86th) and Nepal (101st).
•Top 5 countries in the list are-
1. Finland,
2. Norway,
3. Denmark,
4. Iceland, and
5. Switzerland.
5) ICMR Wins 2017 Kochon Prize For TB Research
•The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was awarded the International Kochon Prize 2017 for encouraging research and development (R&D) efforts towards tuberculosis treatment.
•ICMR received the $65,000 award from the Kochon Foundation, a non-profit organisation from Korea, for establishing the India TB Research Consortium to accelerate R&D efforts in the country.
6) World Bank Projects India's GDP Growth At 7.3% For 2018-19
•The World Bank has projected India's GDP growth at 7.3% for 2018-19 and accelerates further to 7.5% in 2019-20. The World Bank's biannual publication, India Development Update - India's Growth Story, expects the economy to clock a growth rate of 6.7% in the current fiscal ending March 31.
•The report, however, observed that a growth of over 8% will require continued reform and a widening of their scope, aimed at resolving issues related to credit and investment and enhancing the competitiveness of exports.
UPSC CSE 2018 Study Notes: Important Government Schemes
VisionIAS
12:39
Here is a post on UPSC CSE 2018 Study Notes: Important Government Schemes brought to you by Oliveboard, an online exam preparation platform for government, banking and MBA exams. UPSC always lies ahead in time while asking questions. So, few Schemes which are announced but not yet formulated and formulated but not yet implemented are also discussed here.
1. AAJEEVIKA GRAMEEN EXPRESS YOJANA
Launched as a part of the DeendayalAntyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Ministry: Ministry of Rural development.
Objective: To provide an alternative source of earning/livelihood to Self Help Groups (SHGs) by providing them to run public transport facilities in rural backward areas.
Beneficiaries: Rural SHG’s
Scheme:
Ministry: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMER WELFARE
Objective: To achieve faster agricultural development with focus on agriculture infrastructure especially on post-harvest assets and promotion of agri-business models linked with value addition.
Funding: As grants in ratio of 60 :40 between Centre and States. 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
Beneficiaries: Farmers in Agriculture and Allied activities.
Scheme:
NAHEP has been formulated by ICAR in partnership with World Bank.
Objective: To improve and sustain quality of Higher Education in Agriculture.
Improve learning outcomes, employability and entrepreneurship
Enhancing institutional and system management effectiveness
Funding: The project has been launched for a period of 4 years on 50-50 cost sharing basis with world bank and GoI starting form 2017-18 upto $165 million.
Targets: To make Agriculture education infrastructure competent enough with world universities in Student and faculty development.
Beneficiaries:
1.All statutory agricultural universities.
2.Deemed to be Universities
3.Agricultural Faculty of Central Universities are eligible to participate.
Project: It will focus on raising the standards of teaching and learning through faculty and student development programmes, infrastructure, state of the art laboratories, industry linkage, alumni network, career development etc.
The project has 3 components
Objective: Integrating SHG members with the national Financial Inclusion agenda;
Improving the quality of interface between SHG members and Banks for efficient and hassle-free delivery of banking services by using the available technology;
Integrating delivery system with SHGs using Aadhaar linked identity.
Beneficiaries: Rural poor community and members of SHGs
Scheme:
Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli HarGhar Yojana
Objective : To provide all families in India with electricity.
Ministry : Ministry of Power
Funding: 16,320 crores 60 percent by central grants 30 percent by bank loans, 10 percentby states.
Benefeciaries: Un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data.
Scheme:
The SAATHI initiative of the Government will be jointly implemented by EESL and the office of the Textile Commissioner on a pan-India basis.
Ministry: Ministries of Power and Textiles
FUNDING: Central Sector Scheme
Objective: To provide energy efficient equipment and thus save energy and Cost reduction to the unit owners of textile industry.
Scheme:
Ministry: Ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship along with WORLD BANK.
Objective: To improve Skill development and certification methodology.
Funding: SANKALP – Central Sponsored Scheme
STRIVE-CENTRAL Sector Scheme
Scheme:
8. AGRI-UDAAN Food and Agribusiness Accelerator 2.0 programme
Objective: To promote innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture.
Management: ICAR-NAARM along with IIM-A
Beneficiaries: Rural youth interested in agri-entrepreneurship.
Scheme:
Objective: To provide a platform for selling Agriculture Produce.
Beneficiaries: Farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world.
Targets: e-RaKAM is a first of its kind initiative that leverages technology to connect farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world.
Project:
Objective: Aims integrated use of Space and Geospatial Tools for Mapping, Monitoring and Management of Agriculture.
Scheme:
a. UDAAN
b. UDAN-RCY
c. AGRI-UDAN
d. AVATARAN
Answer: c
2.Read the following statements and mark the options
1.SANKALP is a Central Sector Scheme
2.STRIVE is a Central Sponsored Scheme.
a. 1 is true
b. 2 is true
c. Both 1 and 2 are true
d. Both 1 and 2 are false
Answer: d
For now, a total of 20 schemes have been discussed in both Part 1 and Part 2. Please revise them thoroughly for getting nuances of the schemes .Give special attention to objectives,targets and ministries.
Along with these Schemes the schemes listed in INDIA YEAR book also need to take a look where in the past years some questions have been asked.
Happy Preparation everyone!
1. AAJEEVIKA GRAMEEN EXPRESS YOJANA
Launched as a part of the DeendayalAntyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Ministry: Ministry of Rural development.
Objective: To provide an alternative source of earning/livelihood to Self Help Groups (SHGs) by providing them to run public transport facilities in rural backward areas.
Beneficiaries: Rural SHG’s
Scheme:
- The Self-Help Groups under DAY-NRLM will facilitate transport service in backward areas.
- It will help to provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services to connect remote villages with key services and amenities for the overall development of the communities and the area as a whole.
- This will also provide an additional Source of Income for SHG’s..
- The Community Investment Fund (CIF) provided to Community Based Organization (CBOs) under DAY-NRLM will be used to support the SHG members
- SHG member will be given an interest free loan by the CBO from its Community Investment Fund up to Rs.6.50 lakh for purchasing the vehicle. Also, as an alternative, CBO will own the vehicle and lease it to an SHG member to operate the vehicle and pay rent.
- AGEY will be implemented in 250 Blocks in the country on pilot basis in the beginning with each Block provided upto 6 vehicles
- All vehicles under the scheme will have a colour code and carry AGEY branding to make sure their identity and prevent diversion to other routes
2. RKVY-RAFTAAR
RKVY is now modified now as RKVY- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) for three years i.e. 2017-18 to 2019-20.Ministry: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMER WELFARE
Objective: To achieve faster agricultural development with focus on agriculture infrastructure especially on post-harvest assets and promotion of agri-business models linked with value addition.
Funding: As grants in ratio of 60 :40 between Centre and States. 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
Beneficiaries: Farmers in Agriculture and Allied activities.
Scheme:
- States start the process of decentralized planning for agriculture and allied sectors by preparing District Agriculture Plans (DAPs) and State Agriculture Plan (SAP) based on agro-climatic conditions, availability of appropriate technology and natural resources to fulfill local needs, cropping pattern, priorities.
- National priorities like Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Crop Diversification Program (CDP), Reclamation of Problem Soil (RPS), Foot & Mouth Disease – Control Program (FMD-CP), Saffron Mission, Accelerated Fodder Development Programme, etc. are being implemented through the window of RKVY.
- It gives considerable flexibility and autonomy to states in planning and executing programmes for investment in agriculture and allied sectors
- It will also strengthen farmer ‘s efforts through creation of agriculture infrastructure that helps in supply of quality inputs.
NAHEP has been formulated by ICAR in partnership with World Bank.
Objective: To improve and sustain quality of Higher Education in Agriculture.
Improve learning outcomes, employability and entrepreneurship
Enhancing institutional and system management effectiveness
Funding: The project has been launched for a period of 4 years on 50-50 cost sharing basis with world bank and GoI starting form 2017-18 upto $165 million.
Targets: To make Agriculture education infrastructure competent enough with world universities in Student and faculty development.
Beneficiaries:
1.All statutory agricultural universities.
2.Deemed to be Universities
3.Agricultural Faculty of Central Universities are eligible to participate.
Project: It will focus on raising the standards of teaching and learning through faculty and student development programmes, infrastructure, state of the art laboratories, industry linkage, alumni network, career development etc.
The project has 3 components
- Support to Agricultural Universities
- Investments in ICAR for leadership in Agricultural Higher Education
- Project Management and learning.
4. E-Shakti
NABARD has launched e-Shakti initiative for digitization of Self Help Groups (SHGs).Objective: Integrating SHG members with the national Financial Inclusion agenda;
Improving the quality of interface between SHG members and Banks for efficient and hassle-free delivery of banking services by using the available technology;
Integrating delivery system with SHGs using Aadhaar linked identity.
Beneficiaries: Rural poor community and members of SHGs
Scheme:
- The main agenda of E-Shakti software is ‘one-click’ availability of social and financial information of all the members of the Self-Help Groups.
- It is an initiative launched by the Micro Credit and Innovation Department of NABARD in line with the Digital India drive.
- The project involves E-book keeping and regular updates of transactional data and Auto generation of loan application for bankers on input by SHGs.
Process:
- Information of all the SHGs and their members are uploaded in the website. The transactions are updated through ‘apps’ on android Mobile/Tablet. Data authenticity is ensured through SMS alerts to members and sample audits. MIS reports on groups are generated and progress is tracked on a real time basis.
- Helps the SHG members to access credit based on their real time performance
- Reduces saving-credit linkage gap and Promotes transparency through real time SMS alerts
- Aided convergence with government schemes.
Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli HarGhar Yojana
Objective : To provide all families in India with electricity.
Ministry : Ministry of Power
Funding: 16,320 crores 60 percent by central grants 30 percent by bank loans, 10 percentby states.
Benefeciaries: Un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data.
Scheme:
- Problem of electricity wasn’t resolved through DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAY GRAM JYOTI YOZANA and hence this scheme to provide electricity to all households not only rural but also urban.
- Rural Electrification Corporation Limited is the nodal agency for the operationalization
- Free connections will be provided to below poverty line households and others can avail it
- by paying Rs500 in 10 instalments with their monthly bill.
- Households will be provided with solar power packs along with battery banks if National Electricity Grid can’t be connected.
- Remote hamlets will be provided with solar panels along with five LED lamps, a DC fan, and a plug point along with repair and maintenance for five years.
- States are eligible for an incentive of 50% of their loan being converted to grants, if the provided targets are met by 31 December 2018.
6. SAATHI Scheme:
(Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help Small Industries)The SAATHI initiative of the Government will be jointly implemented by EESL and the office of the Textile Commissioner on a pan-India basis.
Ministry: Ministries of Power and Textiles
FUNDING: Central Sector Scheme
Objective: To provide energy efficient equipment and thus save energy and Cost reduction to the unit owners of textile industry.
Scheme:
- Under this initiative, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a public-sector entity under the administrative control of Ministry of Power, would procure energy efficient Power looms, motors and Rapier kits in bulk and provide them to the small and medium Power loom units at no upfront cost.
- The use of these efficient equipment would result in energy savings and cost savings to the unit owner and he would repay in installments to EESL over a 4 to 5-year period.
- The unit owner neither has to allocate any upfront capital cost to procure this equipment nor does it have to allocate additional expenditure for repayment as the repayments to EESL are made from the savings that accrue as a result of higher efficiency equipment and cost savings.
- Cluster wise demonstration projects and workshops will be organized in key clusters such as Erode, Surat, Ichalkaranji, etc.
7. SANKALP and STRIVE
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved two new World Bank supported schemes of Rs. 6,655 crore – Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE).Ministry: Ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship along with WORLD BANK.
Objective: To improve Skill development and certification methodology.
Funding: SANKALP – Central Sponsored Scheme
STRIVE-CENTRAL Sector Scheme
Scheme:
- The two schemes shall address this need by setting up national bodies for accreditation & certification which shall regulate accreditation and certification in both long and short term Vocational Education and Training (VET).
- SANKALP set-ups National bodies for accreditation and certification.
- STRIVE scheme will incentivize ITIs to improve overall performance including apprenticeship by involving SMEs, business association and industry clusters.
- The schemes aim to develop a robust mechanism for delivering quality skill development training by strengthening institutions such as State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), ITIs and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) etc.
- The schemes shall support universalization of National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) including National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF) across the skill development schemes of central and state governments thus ensuring standardization in skill delivery, content and training output.
Objective: To promote innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture.
Management: ICAR-NAARM along with IIM-A
Beneficiaries: Rural youth interested in agri-entrepreneurship.
Scheme:
- It is a food and Agriculture Accelerator which focuses on catalyzing scale-up Food & Agribusiness start-ups through rigorous mentoring, industry networking and Investor pitching.
- The programme will help convert innovative ideas from India’s rural youth into viable businesses startups and help them connect with potential investors.
- It is managed by ICAR-NAARM’s (Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management) technology incubator, a-IDEA along with IIM Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation.
- Start-ups will get incubation space to run their businesses and have access to research laboratories and libraries. Regulatory services like company registration and environmental compliances will be provided.
- Following an intensive training lasting six months, the new start-ups will be connected to investors for funding.
9. E-rakam Portal
The Union Government has launched e-RashtriyaKisanAgri Mandi (E-RaKAM) portal.Objective: To provide a platform for selling Agriculture Produce.
Beneficiaries: Farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world.
Targets: e-RaKAM is a first of its kind initiative that leverages technology to connect farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world.
Project:
- e-RaKAM is a digital initiative that aims to bring together the farmers, PSUs, civil supplies and buyers on a single platform to ease the selling and buying process of agricultural products.
- It has been developed by state-run-auctioneer MSTC Limited and CRWC (Central Railside Warehouse Company) Limited.
- Under this initiative, e-RaKAMcenters are being developed throughout the country in a phased manner to facilitate farmers for online sale of their produce
- The farmers will be paid through e-Payment directly into their bank accounts under the e-RaKAM initiative.
10. NPSTAlll
Ministry: The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers WelfareObjective: Aims integrated use of Space and Geospatial Tools for Mapping, Monitoring and Management of Agriculture.
Scheme:
- The current running programmes will be subsumed under this. They are
- Project FASAL (for crop forecasting),
ii. Project NADAMS (for drought assessment),
iii. Project CHAMAN (for horticultural assessment and development),
iv. Project KISAN (for crop insurance) and Crop Intensification planning.
- •The programme will have four sub-programmes catering to various themes viz. Crop Assessment & Monitoring; Agricultural Resources Management; Disaster Monitoring and Mitigation and Satellite Communication and Navigation Applications.
- •In order to increase the availability of certified/quality seeds to the farmers locally, the Government has proposed to set up 500 numbers of seed production and seed processing units at Gram Panchayat Level.
Sample Questions:
1.ICAR-NAARM along with IIM-A havedeveloped a programme nameda. UDAAN
b. UDAN-RCY
c. AGRI-UDAN
d. AVATARAN
Answer: c
2.Read the following statements and mark the options
1.SANKALP is a Central Sector Scheme
2.STRIVE is a Central Sponsored Scheme.
a. 1 is true
b. 2 is true
c. Both 1 and 2 are true
d. Both 1 and 2 are false
Answer: d
For now, a total of 20 schemes have been discussed in both Part 1 and Part 2. Please revise them thoroughly for getting nuances of the schemes .Give special attention to objectives,targets and ministries.
Along with these Schemes the schemes listed in INDIA YEAR book also need to take a look where in the past years some questions have been asked.
Happy Preparation everyone!
THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 15.03.2018
