Prelim Bits 10-07-2019

Kisan Suvidha Mobile App

It is an omnibus mobile app developed to help farmers by providing relevant information to them quickly.
The following services and information are available on the App -

A farmer can also get extreme weather alerts like hailstorms or unseasonal rains.
It is developed by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The app is available in 9 languages, English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Oriya, Punjabi, Marathi, Bengla and Telugu.

Pusa Krishi Mobile App

It disseminates information about the latest technologies developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
It will help farmers to take the technology to farm fields.
Details of 185 technologies are available in the App.
It is developed by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
It is available in two languages, Hindi and English.

IM-PDS

Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) is a new Central Sector scheme.
It is launched by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
The key objectives of the scheme are,

to integrate the existing PDS systems(portals) of States/UTs with the Central System(portals).
Introduction of National Portability of ration card to lift foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.
National level de-duplication of ration cards/beneficiary.

It will bring more transparency and efficiency in PDS as it will improve the mechanism to identify fake/duplicate ration cards.
With this government is all set to implement "One nation-One ration card" scheme throughout India by 2020.

Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS)

It is a scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 year in rural areas.
It comes under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The major objectives of the scheme are,

To increase awareness among adolescent girls on Menstrual Hygiene
To increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas.
To ensure safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.

Funds are provided to States/UTs through National Health Mission (NHM).
The funds are for decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins packs primarily to rural adolescent girls at a subsidized rate of Rs 6 for a pack of 6 napkins.
The ASHA will be responsible for distribution of napkins.
They will receive an incentive of Re 1 per pack sold and a free pack of napkins every month for her own personal use.
A range of IEC (Information Education and Communication) material has been developed around MHS.
It is a 360 degree approach to create awareness about safe and hygienic menstrual health practices.
It includes audio, video and reading materials for adolescent girls.
MHS is a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, which is to ensure holistic development of adolescent population.

HT Bt cotton – GM Cotton

Herbicide-tolerant Bt (HT Bt)Cotton is genetically modified cotton crop.
It is also known as BG-III cotton, an advanced version of Bt Cotton, as it takes care of weeds problem.
Herbicide is like a poison which is used to destroy unwanted vegetation.
They are designed to tolerate specific broad-spectrum herbicides, which kill the surrounding weeds, but leave the cultivated crop intact.
The herbicide-tolerant trait was developed and commercialised by US-based multinational seed giant Monsanto.
Currently, Bt-Cotton is the only GM crop allowed to be grown in India.
Herbicide-Tolerant Bt-cotton has unapproved genes which is not permissible in India.
The herbicide-resistant gene in HT cotton can spread through pollen into biodiversity system leading to transformation of weeds into super weeds.
It will threaten growth and yields of all crops in future and leads to health hazards.
But farmers in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra cultivates the unapproved HTBT cotton, as they want improved seeds and technology for better crops.
In the absence of government approval, production of HT Bt cotton is illegal.

Source: Indian Express, PIB