UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelimbits 12-08-2025

 Increase in Real Income for Small and Marginal Farmers

Why in News?

Recently, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare highlighted that government initiatives have significantly increased farmers’ income during the last five years.

• Government Implemented various policies to ensure the welfare and increase the income of farmers including small and marginal farmers in the country.
• Strategy to increase farmers income – Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has identified following integrated strategy for comprehensive growth of agriculture sector. This includes
  • Increase crop production/ productivity
  • Reduce cost of production
  • Better price realization of farmers’ produces to enhance their incomes
  • Agricultural diversification
  • Developing post-harvest value addition
  • Adaptation to climate change for sustainable agriculture and mitigate against crop losses
• Initiatives that enhance farmers income –
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
  • Fixing of Minimum Support Price (MSP) at one-and-a half times the cost of production
  • Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
  • Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
  • Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
  • Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
  • National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
  • Agri Fund for Start Ups & Rural Enterprises' (AgriSURE)
  • Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing National Agriculture Market (ISAM eNAM)
  • Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
• MSP increase – With a minimum return of 50% over all India weighted average cost of production, government had increased MSPs for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops from 2018-19 onwards.
• Budget increase – From Rs. 21933.50 crore Budget Estimates (BE) during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26 for Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW).

Reference

PIB| Increase in Real Income for Small and Marginal Farmers

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

Why in News?

The Minister of State for Rural Development recently described the achievement of the target under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

• Aim – To promote poverty reduction through building strong institutions for the poor, particularly women.
• It was formerly known as the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), and was renamed in 2016.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme, with funding shared between the central and state governments.
• Target - Mobilizing 10 crore rural households into SHGs under the DAY–NRLM.

As of June 2025, a total of 10.05 crore women has been mobilised into 90.90 lakh Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the country.

• Under – Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• Pillars - Universal social mobilization, financial inclusion and livelihoods enhancement.
• Eligibility - The NRLM Target Households (NTH) are identified through the Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) instead of the BPL.
  • The PIP is a community-driven process where the CBOs themselves identify the poor in the village using participatory tools.
  • The list of poor identified by the CBO is vetted by the Gram Sabha.

• Features - It works towards bringing at least one member (preferably a woman) from all poor families into the SHG network.
• The SGHs and their federations offer their members services such as savings, credit and livelihoods support.
• As the institutions of the poor (IOP) mature, they are facilitated to take up livelihoods/income-generating activities.
• Demand-driven approach – Enabling the States to formulate their own State-specific poverty reduction action plans.
• Implementation – Through the State RLMs or partner institutions or NGOs, would be the intensive blocks and districts, whereas the remaining would be non-intensive blocks and districts.
• DAY-NRLM is implemented across all states and union territories in India (except Delhi and Chandigarh).
• Advantages – Poor people would be facilitated to achieve increased access to their rights, entitlements, and public services, diversified risk, and better social indicators of empowerment.

Reference

PIB| Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission

Loss of Great Barrier Reef Coral

Why in News?

Recently, Australian authorities reports that the Great Barrier Reef has experienced its greatest annual loss of live coral across most of its expanse in four decades.

Great Barrier Reef

• It is located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
• It is the world's largest and longest coral reef system.
• This complex ecosystem built over millions of years from the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral polyps and hydrocorals.
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a significant tourist attraction.

• Divisions – They extend 1,500 kilometres along the Queensland state coast, into three similarly-sized regions.
  • Northern, Central and Southern.

Recent findings

• Living coral cover shrunk by almost a third in the south in a year, a quarter in the north and by 14% in the central region.
• It shows that more than 30% were bleached across the Torres Strait and the entire northern Great Barrier Reef.
• Nearly 84% of the world’s coral reef area has been affected because of heat stress, at least 83 countries are impacted.
• Coral bleaching has been intensified by back-to-back record global heat years.
• The report highlighted that coral reefs are especially at risk if global warming exceeds 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels.
• Warm water (tropical) coral reefs are projected to reach a very high risk of impact at 1.2°C, evidence suggesting that coral-dominated ecosystems will be non-existent at this temperature or higher.
• At this point, coral abundance will be near zero at many locations.

Quick Facts

Reference

The Hindu| Great barrier reef loss

Dhirio - Bull Fighting

Why in News? 

Recently, Legislators from all parties in the Goa assembly have demanded the legalisation of bull fighting.

• Bull fighting in Goa, locally referred as Dhirio or Dhiri
• It is a custom to organise fights after the harvest season.
• Dhiri was a part and parcel of Every Church fest and villagers gather to witness the sport in which two thorough-bred bulls fight each other.
• Bulls and Training - It begins with two bulls dashing at each other and locking horns.
• They head-butt each other, repeatedly charge and retreat, provoked by trainers standing behind them.
• It can be over in a few minutes or stretch for more than an hour.
• The bull that is pushed out of the arena first or runs away loses the fight, unlike in Spain where the fight ends only when the animal is killed.

• Historical relevance – The practice dates back to the Harappan civilization and evidence suggests that such fights were held for sport and entertainment.
• Cultural relevance – Traditionally held in paddy fields and football grounds of Goa.
• Selected and trained bulls who have been brought to the fighting pitch.

• Issues – Bullfighting involves pitting two bulls against each other in a violent and often bloody confrontation.
• These events subject the animals to significant physical and psychological harm, including fractures, puncture wounds, and severe stress.
• Bulls can even be stabbed to death at times.
• Current status – The high court banned this practice in 1997, citing violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
• Challenges – Fights continue to be organised secretly in coastal villages of South and North Goa.
• They are popular for betting.

Reference

The Indian Express – Bull Fight