Vice President’s Address at Fourth Prof. Hiren Mukherjee Memorial Annual Parliamentary Lecture
Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that it is evident from the overwhelming support given by the international community in July this year to General Assembly Resolution 65/309 advocating the pursuit of happiness as an essential ingredient of a holistic approach to sustainable development.
Developmental Projects in North Eastern Region
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region sanctions the developmental projects in North Eastern Region under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme, Special Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) Package and also through North Eastern Council.
No Shortage of Quality Seeds
Government is already implementing a Central Sector Scheme titled “Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds”
separate component “Establishment and Maintenance of Seed Bank” for meeting the requirement of seeds during natural calamities
seed Banks maintain seed stock of foundation and certified seeds of short and medium duration varieties which are locally suited to the area
Balanced and Integrated Nutrient Management to Sustain Fertility of Soil
latest estimates of nutrient deficiencies in the country are: Nitrogen - 90%, Phosphorus - 80%, Potassium - 50%, Sulphur - 41%,
scientists have recommended soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management (INM) through conjunctive use of both inorganic and. organic sources of plant nutrients
National Project on Management of Soil Health & Fertility has been launched during 2008-09 to promote soil test based judicious use of chemical fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity
Rural Godown Scheme
Ministry of Agriculture is implementing the Rural Godown Scheme
scheme is demand driven and back-ended subsidy is made available for construction of godowns to all categories of farmers, agricultural graduates, cooperatives, individual companies and corporations and women farmers.
Increasing Production of Fruits and Vegetables
Prices of fruits and vegetables, which are mostly perishable commodities, by and large depend on market forces, prevailing weather conditions, cost of storage, transportation and rising demand due to increasing income and urbanization.
To enhance the production and productivity of horticultural crops including fruits and vegetables, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is implementing Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in remaining States and Union Territories.
assistance is provided under these Missions for setting up of cold storages, terminal markets, wholesale markets and rural primary market
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has launched a new programme on Vegetable Initiative for Urban Cluster (VIUC), during 2011-12, under the aegis of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). The Scheme is being implemented in one city each of 29 States having a population of one million or capital city.
Area under Cultivation of Bt. Cotton
Bt. cotton is the only crop approved for commercial cultivation in nine states by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee
findings of laboratory and field studies conducted and also commissioned by Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur showed that Bt. cotton was toxic to bollworms but did not have any direct effect on any of the non- targeted beneficial insects and was also non-toxic to, birds, fish, cow, goat and soil micro-organisms.
biggest gain from the technology was in the form of reduced insecticide usage from 46% in 2001 to less than 26% after 2006 and 21% during the last two years 2009 and 2010
Bt. cotton hybrids has helped in production increase from 156 lakh bales (170 kg lint per bale) in 2001 to an estimated 356 lakh bales in 2011. Bt. cotton was introduced in 2002
more than 90% of the area in all the cotton growing states in India is now under Bt. cotton
Annapurna Scheme
Under Annapurna Scheme food grains are provided through State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations to indigent senior citizens of 65 years of age or above who are not getting old age pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme(NOAPS).
Food grains are provided @10 kg per person per month free of cost to the beneficiaries.
Durban conference
India played a key role in establishing the second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol with effect from January 1, 2013, immediately after the expiry of the first commitment period.
it was also decided to begin a process for developing legal arrangements for enhancing actions of all parties under the Convention. India ensured that the new arrangements, which have to be decided by 2015 and implemented from 2020 are established under the Convention
India highlighted the issues of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) in the climate change negotiations. With support of India, the Green Climate Fund was also established in Durban.
Human-induced Global Warming
there exists highly persuasive evidence to show that the radiative forcing component due to the decrease in primary cosmic ray intensity during the last 150 years is 1.1 Watt per square meters, which is about 60% of that due to Carbon dioxide increase.
future prediction of global warming presented by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change requires relook in view of the effect due to long term changes in the galactic cosmic ray intensity
Decline in Minor Forest Produce
Ministry of Panchayati Raj constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. T. Haque to look into various aspects of management of Minor Forest Produce (MFP).
Extension of Credit Facilities to Farmers and Small Industries
51.4 per cent farmer households in the country do not access credit, either from institutional or non-institutional sources
a target of 40 per cent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposures (OBE), whichever is higher, as on March 31 of the previous year, has been mandated for lending to the priority sector by domestic scheduled commercial banks, both in the public and private sector, Within this, a sub-target of 18 per cent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent amount of OBE, whichever is higher, as on March 31 of the previous year, has been mandated for lending to agriculture sector.
Interest Subvention Scheme is being implemented by the Government of India since 2006-07 to make short-term crop loans up to Rs. 3 lakh for a period of one year available to farmers at the interest rate of 7 percent per annum. The Government of India has since 2009-10 been providing additional interest subvention to prompt payees farmers, i.e., those who repay their loan in time. The additional subvention was 1% in 2009-10 and 2% in 2010-11. This is being increased to 3% in 2011-12.
Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme (ADWDRS), 2008 has de-clogged the lines of credit that were clogged due to the debt burden on the farmers
banks have identified approximately 73,000 villages with population of more than 2000 to provide banking facilities by March, 2012.45,000 such villages have been covered upto October, 2011.
Cap on Lending Rates to MFIs
bank loans extended on or after 1st April, 2011 to MFIs have been given the status of priority sector advances subject to fulfillment of certain conditions like 85% of total assets of MFIs being in the nature of qualifying assets, aggregate amount of loan extended for income generating activity not less than 75% of the total loans given by MFIs and compliance to pricing guidelines
margin cap at 12% and interest cap on individual loans at 26% per annum for all MFIs, no penalty for delayed payment and no security deposit/margin to be taken.
Private Investment in Food Processing Industries
multipronged strategy to provide grants-in-aid as well as fiscal incentives for inviting private sector investment in food processing sector
Government has taken several steps like tax reduction, waiver/reduction of excise duty, reduction of custom duty on specific food items with a view to encourage the growth of food processing industries and make them more competitive.
scheme of the Ministry are project oriented and demand driven
Financial Assistance for Creation of Post Harvest Processing Infrastrucutre
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI) through its various schemes for financial assistance and other promotional measures, facilitates creation of post harvest processing infrastructure including processing facilities aimed at reducing wastages, enhancing value addition and increasing shelf life in the country.
Under the Scheme for Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 50% of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil works in general areas, and @ 75% of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil works is provided by the Ministry in difficult areas subject to a maximum of Rs.10.00 crore
Swift Punishment for Violence Against Women
centre has advised states to adopt appropriate measures for swift and salutary punishment to the persons found guilty of violence against women, improve the quality of investigations, minimize delays in investigations of crime against women, set up ‘Crime against Women Cells’ in districts, advised to undertake gender sensitization of the police personnel, special women courts and initiate steps for security of women working in night shifts at call centres.
As per Seventh Schedule, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Constitution, and as such the primary responsibility of prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes against SC/ST, Women and Children, lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.
State Human Rights Commissions Constituted by 20 States
8 States have not constituted the State Human Rights Commissions. These are Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
responsibility to ensure adequate manpower and infrastructure for each SHRC lies primarily with the respective State Governmen
sixth economic census
census would involve collection of data from entrepreneurial units in the country. Data on major industrial activity of the unit, number of workers, ownership details, major source of finance, and gender, religion as well as social group of the owner for proprietary units among others would be collected for micro level planning and policy formulations.
last economic census was conducted in the year 2005.
database would enable policy makers and analysts to assess the impact of the economic liberalization process on entrepreneurial activities, especially in the unorganized sector
Regulatory Body for Anti Doping
National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) has already been set up by Government of India
It deals with all matters relating to doping in sports including dissemination of information, educating the sportspersons, coaches and support personnel on the ill-effects of doping
campaign clean India
aimed to undertake both sensitization and action at field level on bringing our tourism destinations and their surroundings to an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene.
campaign will be part of Government’s strategy of the 12th five year plan for improving the quality of services and environs in and around tourist destinations across India.
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