Daily Current Capsules - 16^th May 2020

Economy
Atma-Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India(Part - III)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( all about Self-Reliant India economic package ) + Mains ( GS III economic development + GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)

What's the NEWS

• Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister announced the 3^rd Tranche of measures to strengthen Infrastructure Logistics, Capacity Building, Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Processing Sectors.

Measures to strengthen Infrastructure Logistics and Capacity Building for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Processing Sectors: -
1. Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund for farm-gate infrastructure for farmers

• Financing facility of Rs. 1,00,000 crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate & aggregation points (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organizations, Agriculture entrepreneurs, Start-ups, etc.).
• Impetus for development of farm-gate & aggregation point, affordable and financially viable Post Harvest Management infrastructure. Fund will be created immediately.

2. Rs 10,000 crore scheme for Formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE)

• A Scheme promoting ‘Vocal for Local with Global outreach' will be launched to help 2 lakh MFEs who need technical upgradation to attain FSSAI food standards, build brands and marketing.
• Existing micro food enterprises, Farmer Producer Organisations, Self Help Groups and Cooperatives to be supported.
• The focus will be on women and SC/ST owned units and those in Aspirational districts and a Cluster based approach (e.g. Mango in UP, Tomato in Karnataka, Chilli in Andhra Pradesh, Orange in Maharashtra etc.) will be followed.

3. Rs 20,000 crore for fisherman through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

• The Government will launch the PMMSY for integrated, sustainable, inclusive development of marine and inland fisheries.
• Rs 11,000 crore for activities in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture and Rs. 9000 crore for Infrastructure - Fishing Harbours, Cold chain, Markets etc shall be provided.
• Cage Culture, Seaweed farming, Ornamental Fisheries as well as New Fishing Vessels, Traceability, Laboratory Network etc. will be key activities.
• There will be provisions of Ban Period Support to fishermen (during the period fishing is not permitted), Personal & Boat Insurance.

4. National Animal Disease Control Programme

• To ensure 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population (total 53 crore animals) for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and for brucellosis.

5. Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund - Rs. 15,000 crore

• An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs. 15,000 crore will be set up, with an aim to support private investment in Dairy Processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure.
• Incentives will be given for establishing plants for export of niche products.

6. Promotion of Herbal Cultivation: Outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore

• The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has supported 2.25 lakh hectare area under cultivation of medicinal plants.
• 10,00,000 hectare will be covered under Herbal cultivation in next two years with outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore.
• There will be network of regional Mandis for Medicinal Plants.
• NMPB will bring 800-hectare area by developing a corridor of medicinal plants along the banks of Ganga.

7. Beekeeping initiatives - Rs 500 crore
Government will implement a scheme for:

a. Infrastructure development related to Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres, Collection, Marketing and Storage Centres, Post Harvest & value Addition facilities etc;
b. Implementation of standards & Developing traceability system
c. Capacity building with thrust on women;
d. Development of quality nucleus stock and bee breeders.

8. From ‘TOP' to TOTAL - Rs 500 crore

• "Operation Greens" run by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will be extended from tomatoes, onion and potatoes to ALL fruit and vegetables.
• The Scheme would provide 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficient markets, 50% subsidy on storage, including cold storages and will be launched as pilot for the next 6 months and will be extended and expanded.
• This will lead to better price realisation to farmers, reduced wastages, affordability of products for consumers.

Measures for Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture Sector:-

1. Amendments to Essential Commodities Act to enable better price realisation for farmers
The Government will amend Essential Commodities Act.

• Agriculture food stuffs including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato shall be deregulated.
• Stock limit will be imposed under very exceptional circumstances like national calamities, famine with surge in prices.
• Further, No such stock limit shall apply to processors or value chain participant, subject to their installed capacity or to any exporter subject to the export demand.

2. Agriculture Marketing Reforms to provide marketing choices to farmers
A Central law will be formulated to provide -

• adequate choices to the farmer to sell their produce at remunerative price;
• barrier free Inter-State Trade;
• a framework for e-trading of agriculture produce.

3. Agriculture Produce Pricing and Quality Assurance:

• The Government will finalise a facilitative legal framework to enable farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, large retailers, exporters etc. in a fair and transparent manner.
• Risk mitigation for farmers, assured returns and quality standardisation shall form integral part of the framework.

Infrastructure Development
Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about DVCA and about Damodar river) + Mains ( GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the World Bank signed a loan agreement for a $145 million project to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) in West Bengal.

Know! more about the project

• This project will assist in improving irrigation and agriculture in the Damodar Valley Command Area, by optimizing the use of surface and groundwater and strengthening flood management, which will help boost agricultural productivity and increase incomes in rural areas.
• The DVCA is over 60 years old, and in need of modernization
• The Lower Damodar basin area is historically flood-prone. This downstream part of the project area lacks the infrastructure to protect against recurrent flooding.
• The project will invest in measures to reduce flooding, including strengthening of embankments and desilting.

AIIB also signed agreement with the Government of India

• The Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB) signed a loan agreement for a US$145 million project to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) in West Bengal.
• The total value of the project is $413.8 million, co-financed between IBRD ($145 million), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ($145 million) and the Government of West Bengal ($123.8 million).

Know! about DVCA

• The Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) is located downstream of Durgapur on the Damodar river in the districts of East and West Bardhaman, Howrah, Bankura and Hooghly.

• The scheme covers 393,964 ha and provides an important source of livelihoods for 2.68 million people.
• The canals are fed via headworks at Durgapur Barrage. Flow in the Damodar River to Durgapur is regulated by five upstream dams located in the neighboring state of Jharkhand.
• Irrigation water is supplied from these dams during three seasons: Kharif (25 July to 31 October), Rabi (25 December to 5 February), and Boro (25 January to 30 April).
• Key challenges include degradation of infrastructure and inadequate irrigation management, including poor quality of service delivery, inefficient irrigation and absence of a monitoring system.
• As a result of the degradation of the system, surface water no longer reaches the middle and tail parts of the canal network.

Know! about DVC

• Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is an Indian governmental organization which operates in the Damodar River area of West Bengal and Jharkhand states of India.
• The corporation operates both thermal power stations and hydel power stations under the Ministry of Power, Govt of India. DVC is headquartered in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India
• The valley is called "the Ruhr of India". Damodar Valley Corporation, popularly known as DVC, came into being on July 7, 1948, by an Act of the Constituent Assembly of India as the first multipurpose river valley project of independent India.

Know! about Damodar river

• The Damodar River is a tributary of the Hugli River. It flows more or less in the west to east direction through Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• I Its total length from its source in the hills of Chota Nagpur plateau in Jharkhand to its confluence with Hugli in West Bengal is about 541 km, half of which is in Jharkhand and the remaining half is in West Bengal.
• It takes a southerly turn from Bardhman town and joins river Hugli about 50 km upstream from Kolkata.
• The Damodar valley covers an area of 24,235 sq km in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Bokaro, Barakar and Konar are its important tributaries.

Tribal Affairs
Goal programme
Relevance IN - Prelims (about Goal Programme) + Mains (GS II Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Tribal Affairs launched the "GOAL (Going Online As Leaders)" programme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in partnership with Facebook (Second Phase)
• The GOAL programme is designed to provide mentorship to tribal youth through digital mode.

Know! all about GOAL programme

• The digitally enabled program envisages to act as a catalyst to explore hidden talents of the tribal youth, which will help in their personal development as well as contribute to all-round upliftment of their society.
• The program intends to upskill and empower 5,000 tribal youths in the current phase to harness the full potential of digital platforms and tools to learn new ways of doing business, explore and connect with domestic and international markets
• In this program, 5000 scheduled tribe youth (to be called as ‘Mentees') will get an excellent opportunity to get training by experts from different disciplines and fields (to be called as ‘Mentors'). There will be 1 mentor for 2 mentees.
• The program aims to enable Scheduled Tribe (ST) youth in remote areas to use digital platforms for sharing their aspirations, dreams and talent with their mentors.

Other Highlights

• GOAL (Going Online As Leaders), Joint initiative of Facebook India with Ministry of Tribal affairs
• 5,000 young tribal entrepreneurs, professionals, artisans and artists will be trained on digital skills under digital entrepreneurship program
• Aspiring candidates invited to apply at online portal "goal.tribal.gov.in"
• Application will be open from May 4, 2020 till midnight of July 3, 2020.
• Leaders from the industry and academia invited to register as mentors on "goal.tribal.gov.in"

Prelims Factoids
FIR Aapke Dwar Yojana

Relevance IN - Prelims (about FIR aapke dwar yojana)
What's the NEWS

• Madhya Pradesh launched country's first ever 'FIR Aapke Dwar Yojana' in Bhopal.

Know! more about it

• Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to implement such an innovative scheme.
• 'FIR Aapke Dwar' scheme has been started as a pilot project in 23 Police Stations including one urban and one rural Police Station at 11 Divisional Headquarters.
• That Dial 100 vehicle would have trained Head Constables to lodge FIR.
• FIRs in complaints of general nature will be lodged on the spot.
• In case of serious complaints, guidance will be sought from senior officers.

Social Issues
Global Nutrition Report
Relevance IN - Prelims (about the Global Nutrition Report 2020 and its findings)
What's the NEWS

• India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020
• It also identified the country as one with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition.

Know! about the Global Nutrition targets

• In 2012, the World Health Assembly identified six nutrition targets for maternal, infant and young child nutrition to be met by 2025.

These require governments (6 nutritional targets)

1. to reduce stunting by 40% in children under 5
2. to reduce the prevalence of anaemia by 50% among women in the age group of 19-49 years
3. to ensure 30% reduction in low-birth weight
4. to ensure no increase in childhood overweight.
5. increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at least 50%
6. reduce and maintain childhood wasting to less than 5%.

Global Nutrition Report 2020 (highlights)
India will miss targets for all four nutritional indicators i.e.

• stunting among under-5 children
• anaemia among women of reproductive age
• childhood overweight
• exclusive breastfeeding.

Other takeaways

• Between 2000 and 2016, rates of underweight have decreased from 66.0% to 58.1% for boys and 54.2% to 50.1% in girls. However, it is still high compared to the average of 35.6% for boys and 31.8% for girls in Asia
• 37.9% of children under 5 years are stunted and 20.8% are wasted, compared to the Asia average of 22.7% and 9.4% respectively.
• One in two women of reproductive age is anaemic
• The rate of overweight and obesity continues to rise, affecting almost a fifth of the adults, at 21.6% of women and 17.8% of men.

Know! about GNR

• The Global Nutrition Report is a report card on the world's nutrition-globally, regionally, and country by country-and on efforts to improve it.
• The Global Nutrition Report is an independently produced annual stock-take of the state of the world's nutrition.
• The report tracks global nutrition targets on maternal, infant and young child nutrition and on diet related Non-Communicable Diseases adopted by member states of the World Health Organization (as WHO is a GNR partner) as well as governments' delivery against their commitments.
• It aims to make it easier for governments and other stakeholders to make - and deliver on - high impact commitments to end malnutrition in all its forms.
• The GNR is an annual publication and the first series was published in 2014.
• It is delivered by an Independent Expert Group and guided at a strategic level by a Stakeholder Group, whose members also review the Report.

Additional info
Stunting

• Stunting, or low height for age, is caused by long-term insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections.
• Stunting generally occurs before age two, and effects are largely irreversible.
• Nearly one third of children under five in the developing world are stunted.

Wasting

• Wasting, or low weight for height, is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five.
• It is usually the result of acute significant food shortage and/or disease.

Overweight

• Overweight is an increasingly important issue all over the world
• 20 developing countries have rates above 5 per cent.
• Childhood undernutrition and overweight co-exist in many countries, leading to a double burden of malnutrition.

Prelims Factoids
73^rd World Health Assembly
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World Health Assembly)
What's the NEWS

• Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the 73rd World Health Assembly will be virtual.
• The agenda has been reduced to fit into two days, starting on Monday 18 May and concluding no later on Tuesday 19 May.

Know! about World Health Assembly

• The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO.
• It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
• The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.
• The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

Health
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about ACE2)
What's the NEWS

• Men have higher levels of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is a protein in the blood that Sars-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19, uses to enter human cells, according to the study.

Know! about the new study

• Being male is a significant risk factor for severe illness and death from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) regardless of age, according to a new study that identified higher concentrations of a key enzyme in men's blood as the reason for the increased risk of death they face compared to women.
• Men have higher levels of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is a protein in the blood that Sars-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19, uses to enter human cells
• Sars-CoV2 causes infection by using its crown-like spike protein, to bind to ACE2 on the surface of human cells, from where it invades the air sacs in the lungs, leading to respiratory distress.

Know! more about ACE2

• ACE2 is found not only in lungs, but also the heart, kidneys and tissues lining blood vessels, and there are particularly high levels in the testes.
• ACE2 is a receptor on the surface of cells. It binds to the coronavirus and allows it to enter and infect healthy cells after it is has been modified by another protein on the surface of the cell, called TMPRSS2.
• High levels of ACE2 are present in the lungs and, therefore, it is thought to play a crucial role in the progression of lung disorders related to Covid-19
  
  

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