Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
- Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) will become eligible beneficiaries of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
- With this fund, APMCs could enhance post-harvest infrastructure at regulated markets (Mandis).
- AIF is a medium - long term debt financing facility.
- It can be used for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee. Under the scheme,
- Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans with interest subvention of 3% per annum and
- Credit guarantee coverage will be provided under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) for loans up to Rs. 2 Crore.
- The duration of the scheme is from FY2020 to FY2029.
- Beneficiaries - Farmers, FPOs, PACS, Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public-Private Partnership Projects, etc.
One District One Product Scheme
- One District One Product (ODOP) initiative is operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative.
- [‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative is being implemented by Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.
- It has the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as a major stakeholder.]
- The objective is to convert each district of the country into an Export Hub by identifying products with export potential in the district, addressing bottlenecks for exporting these products, etc.
- DGFT is engaging with State/UT Governments to implement the initiative in a phased manner to make all the districts as an export hub.
- Under the initial phase of the ODOP programme, 106 Products have been identified from 103 districts across 27 States.
- District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) is constituted in all Districts of India, except districts of the state of West Bengal.
Aero India 2021
- It is a biennial international military and civil air show.
- It provides an opportunity for the exchange of information, ideas and new developments in the aviation industry.
- It gives a fillip to the domestic aviation industry furthering the cause of Make in India.
- Since the air show was started in 1996, the Yelahanka air base, about 30 km from Bengaluru, has been hosting it in February.
- It is organised by Defence Exhibition Organisation, Ministry of Defence.
Defence Exhibition Organisation
- It is an autonomous organisation of Indian Government established in 1981, to promote the export potential of the Indian defence industry.
- It is responsible for organising international exhibitions such as DefExpo and Indian participation at overseas exhibitions.
GOBAR-DHAN Portal
- Unified GOBAR-DHAN portal was jointly launched by Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Petroleum; Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme converts cattle dung and solid waste to compost, biogas and bio-CNG.
- It will help in keeping the village clean while increasing the income of farmers and cattle herders.
- Under this scheme, one village in every district of the country would be selected for its implementation.
- Villagers will be mobilized to create self-help groups (SHGs) and creative societies that will help in clean energy and green jobs initiative.
Neptune Declaration
- Liberian Registry has become the very first ship registry to sign onto the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change.
- Neptune Declaration was unveiled at the Davos summit.
- Signed by more than 500 organizations, it highlights the main actions that are required to be taken in order to resolve the crew change crisis.
- This Neptune Declaration outlines four main actions that are needful to address the crew change crisis:
- To recognize the seafarers as the key workers and provide them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines;
- To establish and implement the gold standard health protocols which are based on the existing best practice;
- To increase the collaboration between the ship operators and charterers so as to facilitate the crew changes;
- To ensure the air connectivity between the key maritime hubs for seafarers.
Lithium Reserves in India
- Preliminary surveys by Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) have shown presence of Lithium resources in the pegmatites of Marlagalla-Allapatna area, Mandya district, Karnataka.
- [AMD is a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy]
- To know more about lithium reserve surveys, click here.
Lithium
- Lithium is a key element for new technologies and finds its use in ceramics, glass, telecommunication and aerospace industries.
- It is used in Lithium ion batteries, lubricating grease, high energy additive to rocket propellants, and optical modulators for mobile phones.
- It is also used as a convertor to tritium used as a raw material for thermonuclear reactions i.e. fusion.
- The thermonuclear application makes Lithium as “Prescribed substance” under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 that permits AMD for exploration of Lithium in various geological domains of the country.
Source: PIB, Liberian Observer
