DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS
1 – Drones Overhead at Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs): GS II – Government Policies and Interventions:
Context:
- From 2024–2025, women’s self-help groups (SHGs) will be able to receive drones thanks to a Central Sector Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet.
- Through the provision of drone rental services to farmers for agricultural use, the programme seeks to empower 15,000 specifically chosen Women SHGs.
Among the scheme’s salient characteristics are:
Comprehensive Approaches:
- The programme combines the work of the Departments of Fertilisers, Rural Development, and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. An essential component of the holistic strategy is cooperation with Lead Fertiliser Companies and Women Self Help Groups (SHGs).
Cluster-Based Method:
- Finding clusters that are commercially viable for drone use. Within these clusters, 15,000 women’s self-help groups were chosen to get drones.
Financial Support:
- Central Financial Assistance covers 80% of the drone’s cost for women’s self-help groups. SHGs can raise the remaining sum and lend it to the National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility, with an interest subvention of 3%.
Instruction:
- SHG elected officials go through a 15-day training course. Mandatory drone pilot training is part of the curriculum, and there are also extra classes for agricultural use. A different team member has received training to operate and maintain drones as a technician or helper.
Lead Fertiliser Companies’ (LFCs’) role:
- LFCs serve as go-betweens for SHGs and drone vendors, making maintenance and buying easier. Encouragement of Nano Fertilisers is prioritised.
Generating Income:
- Farmers can hire SHGs to use drones to apply pesticides and nano fertilisers. The goal is to encourage enduring businesses and means of subsistence.
The Progress of Technology in Agriculture:
- Through the application of cutting-edge technology, the programme seeks to increase crop output, decrease operating costs, and improve efficiency in agriculture. The growth of technology helps farmers and advances agriculture as a whole.
Source The Hindu
2 – PM JANMAN – Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions:
Context:
- The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) has been authorised by the Union Cabinet.
Name of Initiative:
- Nyaya Maha Abhiyan Janjati Adivasi Pradhan Mantri.
Goals:
- Discuss the socioeconomic issues that Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India are facing.
Areas of Focus:
- Eleven crucial measures covering a range of areas like housing, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and connectivity.
Important Elements:
- Pucca houses, connecting roads, water supply initiatives, mobile medical units, hostels, vocational education, Anganwadi centres, multipurpose centres, electrification, solar off-grid systems, solar lighting, Village Development Knowledge Centres (VDVKs), and the installation of mobile towers are all examples of projects that are currently underway.
- Target Duration: Over the following three years, the mission will be in operation.
Beneficiary Range:
- There are 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) communities spread throughout 18 states as well as the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Union Territory.
Overarching Objective:
- By focusing on basic amenities like housing, water, sanitation, education, health, connectivity, and employment prospects, PVTG households can experience an improvement in their general well-being.
Other Ministries’ Contribution:
- Wellness centres will be established by the ministries of Ayush and Skill Development. Mobile medical units will be used to deliver Ayush facilities. – Training in skills and trades will be provided in PVTG habitations.
Source The Hindu
3 – Process of tropicalization: GS I – Geography-related issues:
Context:
- Tropicalization is a major global phenomena caused by climate change, in which tropical marine species are migrating towards the poles and temperate species are retreating.
- Climate change-related marine heat waves and rising sea temperatures are what are causing this huge migration of marine species.
- Away from the equator, the tendency is seen in places with strong currents, which has implications for ecosystems, biodiversity, and possibly even the world economy.
- The socioeconomic effects differ by location and have an impact on tourism, carbon storage, and worldwide fisheries.
Source The Hindu
4 – Pressmud: GS I – Geography related issues:
Context:
- Pressmud, a byproduct of the sugar industry in India, has the potential to be an important resource for the generation of compressed biogas (CBG).
What exactly is Pressmud, and how is it made?
- Pressmud is a leftover byproduct of the sugar industry, sometimes referred to as filter cake or press cake. It is created when sugarcane is extracted for its sugar. Pressmud is the solid residue that is left over after the sugarcane is crushed to extract juice. Other byproducts include molasses and bagasse.
Uses:
- It may be utilised in the anaerobic digestion process to produce compressed biogas (CBG), which is then purified. Pressmud has the capacity to produce 460,000 tonnes of CBG, valued at Rs 2,484 crore. It presents benefits like as cost-effectiveness, concentrated sourcing, and a streamlined supply chain.
- On the other hand, difficulties include growing pressmud costs, rivalry for substitute applications, and storage problems. Interventions like simplified bioenergy regulations, pricing control systems, and storage technology development are crucial to fully utilise this resource.
Source The Hindu
5 – Pampore (Indian Saffron Production): GS I – Geography related issues:
Context:
- Productivity in Pampore, the nation’s hub for saffron (also known as “red gold”) farming, has decreased.
About Saffron:
- The spice saffron is made from the flower of the Crocus sativus plant, also referred to as the “saffron crocus.” The vibrant red stigma and styles, known as threads, are gathered and dehydrated, mostly to be used as food colouring and flavouring.
The following are the primary problems affecting Pampore’s saffron output:
- Changes in climate.
- irregular patterns of rainfall.
- greater warmth.
- urban growth overtaking saffron fields.
- Saffron farming has difficulties due in part to inadequate funding for farmer education and irrigation.
- The main producers of saffron are Iran, India, Spain, and Greece, with Iran holding the most acreage and generating over 88% of the saffron produced worldwide. Despite having the second-largest land area, India only contributes 7% of global production.
Source The Hindu
