Defence
SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)]
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Defence has implemented SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)], an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.

Know! about SPARSH

• This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.
• A Pensioner Portal is available for pensioners to view their pension related information, access services and register complaints for redressal of grievances, if any, relating to their pension matters.
• SPARSH envisages establishment of Service Centres to provide last mile connectivity to pensioners who may be unable to directly access the SPARSH portal for any reason.
• In addition to several offices of the Defence Accounts Department, which are already functioning as Service Centres for pensioners, the two largest banks dealing with defence pensioners - State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) - have been co-opted as Service Centres.
• An agreement to this effect was signed between Officiating Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) and officials of SBI & PNB
• Under the agreement, the pensioners can approach various branches of these two banks for obtaining any service relating to their pension issues.

Prelims Factoids
GI certified Madurai Malli

Relevance In - Prelims ( about Madurai Malli)
What's the NEWS

• Consignments of Geographical Indications (GI) certified Madurai malli and other traditional flowers such as button rose, lily, chamanthi and marigold were exported today to USA and Dubai from Tamil Nadu.
• Madurai is now the jasmine capital of the country, and the Madurai malli owns the first GI (geographical indication) tag given to a flower in Tamil Nadu.
• This tag is given for goods whose quality, reputation or any other characteristic is attributable to this place of origin.
• Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) is one of the most popular flowers found across the world.
• The scent of Jasmine is synonymous with the splendor of Madurai's Meenakshi temple, Madurai has emerged as a major market for the malligai grown in its neighbourhood, and has evolved into the ‘jasmine capital' of India.

Governance
Common eligibility test for Central govt jobs from 2022
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about CET and NRA) + Mains ( GS II Education and governance)
What's the NEWS

• The CET will be conducted by the newly constituted National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to screen/shortlist candidates for group B and C government jobs.

Know! more about CET and NRA

• The first common eligibility test (CET) to recruit non-technical group B and C government staff has been delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic and is unlikely to be held by the end of this year
• The CET will be conducted by the newly constituted National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to screen/shortlist candidates for above mentioned government jobs, selections for which were earlier done through the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
• The NRA will be a multi-agency body which will conduct the common test to screen and shortlist candidates for Group-‘B' and ‘C' (non-technical) posts\
• The most significant feature of this reform is that every district in the country will have at least one examination centre which would greatly enhance access to the candidates living in far-flung areas.
• National Recruitment Agency is a central recruitment agency established by the Indian Government, that will conduct a Common Eligibility Test (CET) for selection to non-gazetted Group B , Group C and Group D posts under civil service & defence service in the central government and central public sector units
• It will also conduct recruitment for various other posts in government owned banks. NRA has representatives of Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Finance , SSC and RRB also
• National Recruitment Agency which will conduct a Common Eligibility Test (CET) twice a year for the different posts.[
• Separate CETs will be conducted for matriculate level, higher secondary and graduate applicants .
• The scores received in these exams will be valid for 3 years [5]
• The Common Eligibility Test (CET) will be conducted in 12 languages that are in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• The aspirant will be allowed unlimited attempts within a prescribed age limit to better his CET score, with the best being considered.

The National Recruitment Agency will have representatives of:

• Ministry of Railways (India)
• Minister of Finance (India)/Department of Financial Services
• Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
• Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and
• Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).

Agriculture
Cabinet approves modifications in Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund'

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about AIF fund and the recent modifications in it) + Mains ( GS III farmer's welfare)
What's the NEWS

• The Cabinet approved modifications in the guidelines of the Rs 1-lakh-crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), a move which will expand the beneficiary institutions, including Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), to avail credit of up to Rs 2 crore from the Fund to set up cold storage, sorting, grading and assaying units.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister gave its approval to the following modifications in Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility under ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund':

Eligibility

• Eligibility has now been extended to State Agencies/APMCs, National & State Federations of Cooperatives, Federations of Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) and Federations of Self Help Groups (SHGs).

Interest subvention

• At present Interest subvention for a loan upto Rs. 2 crore in one location is eligible under the scheme.
• In case, one eligible entity puts up projects in different locations then all such projects will be now be eligible for interest subvention for loan upto Rs. 2 crore.
• For a private sector entity there will be a limit of a maximum of 25 such projects. This limitation of 25 projects will not be applicable to state agencies, national and state federations of cooperatives, federations of FPOs and federation of SHGs.
• Location will mean physical boundary of a village or town having a distinct LGD (Local Government Directory) code. Each of such projects should be in a location having a separate LGD code.
• For APMCs, interest subvention for a loan upto Rs. 2 crore will be provided for each project of different infrastructure types e.g. cold storage, sorting, grading and assaying units, silos, et within the same market yard.
• The power has been delegated to Hon'ble Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to make necessary changes with regard to addition or deletion of beneficiary in such a manner so that basic spirit of the scheme is not alter

Repayment period

• The repayment period has been increased from 4 years to 6 years up to 2025-26 and overall period of the scheme has been extended from 10 years to 13 years up to 2032-33.

Benefits

• The modifications in the Scheme will help to achieve a multiplier effect in generating investments while ensuring that the benefits reach small and marginal farmers.
• APMC markets are setup to provide market linkages and create an ecosystem of post-harvest public infrastructure open to all farmers.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee.
• The duration of the scheme is from FY2020 to FY2029 (10 years). 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 under CGTMSE for loans up to Rs. 2 Crores.
• Eligible beneficiaries include farmers, FPOs, PACS, Marketing Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public-Private Partnership Projects.

Coconut Development Board (CDB)

• The Cabinet also decided to make the post of chairman, Coconut Development Board (CDB), as a non-executive one while it approved creation of a chief executive officer in that organisation.
• The government decided to allow the CDB to expand its activities abroad, so far restricted to the country, with an objective to boost export and help increase farmers' income.

Know! about Coconut Development Board (CDB)

• It is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of India for the integrated development of coconut and coconut-related products.
• Coconut Development Board is a statutory body established by the Government of India for the integrated development of coconut production and utilization in the country with focus on productivity increase and product diversification.
• The Board which came into existence on 12 January 1981, functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, with its headquarters at Kochi in Kerala and regional Offices at Bangalore in Karnataka, Chennai in Tamil Nadu and Guwahati in Assam.
• There are six state centres situated at Bhubaneswar in Orissa, Calcutta in West Bengal, Patna in Bihar, Thane in Maharashtra, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh and Port Blair in the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• The Board has 9 Demonstration cum Seed Production (DSP) Farms in different locations of the country and now 7 farms are maintained.

Polity
Article 169 of the Constitution- Creating a legislative council
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about article 169 and about legislative council) + Mains ( GS II Polity - role of LC - pros and cons)
What's the NEWS

• The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government was able to pass a resolution in the state assembly in favour of creating a legislative council in the state under Article 169 of the Constitution.

Know! more about the process of creating a legislative council

• The resolution was passed with 196 votes in favour and 69 against it. The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has a strength of 294 members but only 265 were present during the voting.
• As per law, West Bengal can have a maximum of 94 members in the legislative council (one-third of total assembly seats), in case the resolution gets support of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
• Legislative Council is the upper house in those states that have a bicameral legislature; the lower house being the State Legislative Assembly.
• Each Member of the State LC serves for a six-year term, with terms staggered so that the terms of one third of a State Legislative Council's membership expire every two years.
• Member of LC must be a citizen of India, at least 30 years old, mentally sound, not an insolvent, and must be enrolled on the voters' list of the state for which he or she is contesting an election.
• It should be passed by a majority of the total membership of the assembly and by a majority of not less than two thirds of the members present and voting
• Then a bill to this effect has to be passed by the Parliament by Simple Majority
• Under Article 171, a Council cannot have more than a third of the number of MLAs in the state, and not less than 40 members.

MLCs are chosen in the following manner:

• One third are elected by the members of local bodies such as municipalities, Gram panchayats, Panchayat samitis and district councils.
• One third are elected by the members of Legislative Assembly of the State from among the persons who are not members of the State Legislative Assembly.
• One sixth are nominated by the governor from persons having knowledge or practical experience in fields such as literature, science, arts, the co-operative movement and social service.
• One twelfth are elected by persons who are graduates of three years' standing residing in that state.
• One twelfth are elected by persons engaged for at least three years in teaching in educational institutions within the state not lower than secondary schools, including colleges and universities.

Abolition of Legislative Council

• Article 169(1) of the Constitution allows Parliament to either create or abolish a Council in a state "if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to that effect.
• The resolution must by a majority of the total membership of the Assembly and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Assembly present and voting.

Legislative Councils of India

• At present six states -- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka -- have a Legislative Council.
• West Bengal too had the Legislative Council (in fact, it was the first state to have the upper house in 1937).
• However, in 1969, the then coalition government of Left parties abolished the legislative council as it was considered to be a "symbol of elitism".
• In recent times, creating a legislative council has been a bone of contention for three decades in Tamil Nadu. In 2010, the Assam Assembly and in 2012, the Rajasthan Assembly passed resolutions to set up legislative councils.
• These bills are still pending in the Rajya Sabha.
• On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh wants to abolish the legislative council. The bill is yet to be introduced in Parliament.
• Until 2019, Jammu and Kashmir too had a legislative council but it was dissolved once the erstwhile state was downgraded into a Union Territory.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS