Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal

Context

• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar on September 24,2020 launched in the public domain, the “Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal”

ABOUT

• It has been developed by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) as a further step to improve services of farm machinery testing institutions and bringing out transparency in the entire process of testing and evaluation of machines.
• Budget allocation of the agriculture sector has also been considerably increased in keeping with this commitment of the government.
• There has been significant increase in adoption of agricultural machines which has resulted in the phenomenal expansion of cropped area, cropping diversity and the country’s agricultural production.

About the Portal

• This portal will facilitate manufacturers in applying, communicating and monitoring the progress of testing of their machines in a seamless manner as it is easily accessible from any location and from any device connected to the Internet.
• It offers the possibility of integrated management in a unified manner within the organization and thus will help in improving the efficiency of the testing institutes thereby reducing testing time for various agricultural machines and equipment.
• This portal offers following benefits to the users viz manufacturers, FMTTIS and the DAC&FW:-

1. In line with Government Policy of “Ease of Doing Business”,this would facilitate applying for testing of machinery online.
2. Ensure Transparency in the entire processes of testing.
3. Faster Feedback
4. Help in Reducing testing Time
5. Reduced Business Expenses of Agricultural Manufacturers
6. Testing Efficiency Improvement
7. Thoroughness in Testing
8. Flexible Access – Officers concerned at Ministry and manufacturers can monitor testing activities from anywhere with internet access.

Agricultural mechanization

• It is a central indispensable support to make farm operations efficient and productive.
• It contributes in increasing the efficiency and productivity of all direct as well as indirect inputs used in the crop production system besides, reduction in drudgery associated with various farm operations.
• The programs and schemes of the Government of India on farm mechanization have resulted in progressive increase in the availability of farm power per unit area for performing various agricultural operations.
• The shift has also helped in diversification of agriculture from conventional crops to commercial crops.

Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan

IN NEWS

• Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) recently submitted a report on the performance of this program.

About report on Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan

• Public sector units claimed to have constructed 1.4 lakh toilets in government schools as part of a Right to Education project, but almost 40% of those surveyed were found to be non-existent, partially constructed, or unused.
• Over 70% did not have running water facilities in the toilets, while 75% were not being maintained hygienically.
• The objective of providing separate toilets for boys and girls was not fulfilled in 27% of the schools, said the CAG.

Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan

• It was launched in 2014 by the then Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education).
• Its aim is to meet the Right to Education Act’s mandate that all schools must have separate toilets for boys and girls.
• Central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) were roped in to implement the program.
• The programme norms require the CPSEs to build toilets with running water and hand washing facilities.
• It also requires CPSEs to maintain the toilets for three to five years while charging the annual expenses to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budgets.

Brucella Abortus S19δ Per Vaccine

IN NEWS

• A Technology License Agreement (TLA) ceremony on “Brucella abortus S19Δ per vaccine” developed by ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) was held on 22nd September, 2020 through virtual platform.

ABOUT

• Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide and also endemic in India causing huge economic losses to dairy industry due to infertility, abortion, birth of weak offspring’s and reduced productivity.
• In India, calf-hood vaccination is practiced using live attenuated B. abortus S19 strain for control of the disease. B. abortus S19 strain is a very strong immunogen and provides lifelong immunity.
• However, this vaccine strain has several drawbacks like – residual virulence to human and animals, not suitable for vaccination in adult animals, causes abortion when used in pregnant animals and also interferes with sero-diagnosis of clinical infection.
• To overcome some of these drawbacks, a modified strain of B. abortus S19 has been developed at ICAR-IVRI.
• The vaccine candidate was developed under DBT funded “Brucellosis network program”.
• In the process of modifying the S19 strain, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure of the organism was altered through deletion mutation.
• The newly developed strain was named as B. abortus S19Δper. Vaccine potential of S19Δper has been evaluated in experimental small animal model and also in buffalo calves.
• The vaccine has great demand in India and will be of immense help in the national control programme on brucellosis. The vaccine has DIVA capability meaning that it can differentiate between naturally infected and vaccinated animals.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020

IN NEWS

• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 was introduced in Lok Sabha on September 20, 2020. The Bill amends the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

ABOUT

• Under the Act, certain persons are prohibited to accept any foreign contribution. These include: election candidates, editor or publisher of a newspaper, judges, government servants, members of any legislature, and political parties, among others.
• The Bill adds public servants (as defined under the Indian Penal Code) to this list.

TRANSFER OF FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION:

• Under the Act, foreign contribution cannot be transferred to any other person unless such person is also registered to accept foreign contribution (or has obtained prior permission under the Act to obtain foreign contribution). The Bill amends this to prohibit the transfer of foreign contribution to any other person. The term ‘person’ under the Act includes an individual, an association, or a registered company.

FCRA ACCOUNT:

• Under the Act, a registered person must accept foreign contribution only in a single branch of a scheduled bank specified by them. However, they may open more accounts in other banks for utilization of the contribution.

RENEWAL OF LICENSE:

• Under the Act, every person who has been given a certificate of registration must renew the certificate within six months of expiration.
• The Bill provides that the government may conduct an inquiry before renewing the certificate to ensure that the person making the application:

1. Is not fictitious or benami,
2. Has not been prosecuted or convicted for creating communal tension or indulging in activities aimed at religious conversion, and
3. Has not been found guilty of diversion or misutilisation of funds, among others conditions.

SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION:

• Under the Act, the government may suspend the registration of a person for a period not exceeding 180 days. The Bill adds that such suspension may be extended up to an additional 180 days.

Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)

IN NEWS

• Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) being constructed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) is expected to get commissioned by October 2022.
• On completion of commissioning, PFBR will be adding 500 MW of electrical power to the national grid.

ABOUT

• The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a 500 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed at the Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, India.
• The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is responsible for the design of this reactor. The facility builds on the decades of experience gained from operating the lower power Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). Originally planned to be commissioned in 2012, the construction of the reactor suffered from multiple delays.
• The prototype fast breeder reactor has a negative void coefficient, thus ensuring a high level of passive nuclear safety. This means that when the reactor overheats (below the boiling point of sodium) the speed of the fission chain reaction decreases, lowering the power level and the temperature.
• scientists and engineers of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, who have designed this first-of-a-kind reactor, and the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (BHAVINI), the special purpose vehicle set up under the DAE to execute stage II projects

REASON FOR DELAY

• In the last three years, while commissioning activities of the various Systems, Structures & Equipment of PFBR are progressing, a large number of technical challenges as well as design inadequacies (owing to the first-of-a-kind status of the PFBR) are being encountered at each stage, thereby resulting into delay in commissioning.
• These issues are being attended in close coordination with the designers and the experts within Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

AMONG THE ISSUES ON THE POLITICAL RIGHT THAT HAVE HELPED TO PROPEL THE FRAGMENTATION OF POLITICS ARE:

• Social conservatism (this issue plays a major role in both democracies such as the United States and Spain, as well as in countries such as Russia and Turkey)
• Nativism (with immigration once again becoming a major issue in North America, Europe and parts of Asia, nativist policies have moved to the fore in recent years)
• Nationalism (this has been a vital source of support for the political right since the 1800s, but is rising again in response to globalization and multilateralism)

Walking in the Right Direction for A Better Future for Rhinoceros

IN NEWS

• On the occasion of World Rhino Day, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Shri Babul Supriyo congratulated and expressed his gratitude to the frontline forest staff and officials for working tirelessly to save Rhinos

ABOUT

• The World Rhino Day is celebrated every year on 22nd September to emphasize the importance of conservation of Rhinoceros species and its habitats. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India celebrated the World Rhino Day, 2020
• Population of Greater One-horned Rhinoceros which reached to the brink of extinction by the end of the 20th century with fewer than 200 animals in wild.
• Timely efforts and stringent protection and management of the Governments of India and the State Governments have revived the population of Rhinos in the country.
• Today, approximately 75% of the entire population of Greater One-horned Rhinoceros now occurs in India in the three States viz, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

CONCLUSION

• Efforts are currently ongoing in the country to protect the existing rhino population and also to increase the distribution of the species through the Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 programme.
• Success was achieved in restocking the rhino population in the World Heritage Site Manas National Park recently through wild to wild translocations.
• One-horned Rhinoceros is also one of the 21 species identified for Recovery programme for critically endangered species by the Ministry.
• The Ministry has also launched the “National Conservation Strategy for the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros” with the goal to repopulate Rhinoceros population in those areas also which used to hold the Rhinoceros earlier by augmenting the existing conservation efforts and strengthening them through scientific and administrative measures.

Foundation Day of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

IN NEWS

• 25 th September, 2014 was declared the ‘Antyodaya Diwas’ in honour of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s 98 th Birth Anniversary. It was the same day when the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revamped it’s existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU- GKY) .

ABOUT

• Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revamped it’s existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) which emphasized on greater access, coverage and quality.
• DDU-GKY is now a demand driven placement-linked skilling initiative which seeks to enable rural poor youth to benefit from national and international employment opportunities.
• The spirit of Antyodaya Mission lies in ‘reaching out to the last person’. Ministry of Rural Development is also working towards this motto through reaching to all eligible rural youths of India.
• Therefore working towards this motto and to commemorate Antyodaya Diwas 2020, MoRD is celebrating this day for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) with their skilled and enthusiastic beneficiaries and other stakeholders spread across the country.
• During this pandemic time, MoRD is virtually celebrating this auspicious day with all States/UTs, Project Implementing Agencies, Employers and rural youths from all over the country.

CONCLUSION

• Over the period of time, DDU GKY has proven to be an effective rural development initiative for rural youths by providing both market linked skilling and sustainable wage employment opportunities.
• DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.

RAISE 2020 – Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence

IN NEWS

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog will organize a Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020,’ from October 5-9, 2020.

ABOUT

• RAISE 2020 will be a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors.
• At the RAISE 2020 Summit, delegates and experts in research, policy and innovation on Artificial Intelligence will join from across the globe.
• The RAISE 2020 Summit will also feature some of the most exciting startups working in Artificial Intelligence-related fields.

FUTURE OF AI

• AI has emerged as a catalyst across industries and can play a transformative role in accelerating development. The Summit will explore in-depth, the role of AI in accelerating social empowerment.
• RAISE 2020 has tracks like AI for Health, Agriculture, Education, Skilling, Mobility, Fintech, Research, Inclusive AI, Future of Work, and Responsible AI, and the Summit will serve as a platform for the meeting of some of the best minds in the world on AI.
• Industry analysts predict that AI could add up to $957 billion to India’s economy by 2035.

CONCLUSION

• RAISE 2020 is a first of its kind, global meeting of minds on Artificial Intelligence to drive India's vision and roadmap for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment through responsible AI. Organized by Government of India along with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the event will witness robust participation from global industry leaders, key opinion makers, Government representatives and academia.