15 April 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

April 15th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Initiatives of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare to promote
farming and allied sectors during lockdown
2. India’s Foreign Trade
3. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)
4. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
5. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
6. G20

1. Initiatives of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare to promote farming and allied sectors during lockdown

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India is taking several measures to facilitate farming activities at the field level during the lockdown period.

The following are the measures taken:

1. The following exemptions were given by the GOI for agricultural operations during the lockdown keeping in view the harvesting and sowing season:
   1. Agencies engaged in the procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations;
   2. Farming operations by farmers and farm workers in the field;
   3. ‘Mandis’ operated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) or as notified by the State Government;
   4. ‘Mandis’ include direct marketing facilitated by the State Government/UT administration, directly from the farmers/groups of farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, etc.;
   5. Shops for seeds, fertilisers and pesticides;
   6. Manufacturing and packaging units of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides;
   7. Custom Hiring Centres (CHC) related to farm machinery;
   8. Intra and inter-state movement of harvesting and sowing related machines like combined harvester and other agriculture/horticulture implements;
   9. Cold storage and warehousing services;
   10. Manufacturing units of packaging material for food items;
   11. Transportation for essential goods;
   12. Shops of agriculture machinery, its spare parts (including its supply chain) and repairs;
   13. Tea industry, including plantation with maximum of 50% workers.
2. The All India Agri Transport Call Centre has been launched.
   1. This Call Centre has been set up for coordination between States for inter-state movement of perishables like vegetables & fruits, agri inputs like seeds, pesticides and fertilizers, etc.
3. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme
   1. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, about 8.46 crore farmers have been benefitted and an amount of Rs. 16,927 crore has been released so far.
4. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PM-GKY) about 5516 MT of pulses has been dispatched for delivery to the States/UTs.
5. The Railways has introduced new routes for the improved delivery of agricultural and horticultural produce and inputs.
6. Validity of star rating certification of accredited nurseries extended by NHB to September 2020 to ensure the availability of quality planting material to farmers.
7. Migratory beekeeping was facilitated by requesting states to allow intra and interstate movement.
8. Insurance claims have been disbursed to beneficiary farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
9. The due date for the conversion of agri-gold loans and other agri accounts into KCC account has been extended.
   2020. More on KCC (Kisan Credit Cards) at PIB dated Feb 11, 2020.
10. Module of Uberisation of logistics aggregator has been launched on the e-NAM
    1. Uberisation refers to the utilisation of computing platforms such as, but not limited to, mobile applications or websites, in order to facilitate peer to peer transactions between clients and providers of a service, often bypassing the role of centrally planned corporations.

2. India’s Foreign Trade

Context:

India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in April-March 2019-20 are estimated to be USD 528.45billion.

Details:

• This shows a negative growth of (-) 1.36 per cent over the same period last year.
• Overall imports in April-March 2019-20 are estimated to be USD 598.61billion, exhibiting a negative growth of (-) 6.33per cent over the same period last year.

• Major commodity groups of import showing negative growth in March 2020 over the corresponding month of last year are:

• Rise in import in March 2020 was witnessed only in Transport equipment, which registered a growth of 11.94% over March 2019.
• Trade Balance:
  • MERCHANDISE: The trade deficit for March 2020 was estimated at USD 9.76 billion as against the deficit of USD 11.00 billion in March 2019.
  • SERVICES: As per RBI’s Press Release dated 15^th April 2020, the trade balance in Services (i.e. Net Services export) for February 2020 is estimated at USD 6.66 billion.
  • OVERALL TRADE BALANCE: Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for April-March 2019-20 is estimated at USD 70.16 billion as compared to USD 103.32 billion in April-March 2018-19.

3. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

Context:

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2011-12=100) for the month of March 2020 declined by 0.90% to 121.1 (provisional) from 122.2 (provisional) for the previous month.

Details:

To know what is the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), click on the linked article.

4. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Context:

To address the unprecedented situation arising from the global outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and to ramp up availability or production of various drugs, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has made an amendment to the EIA Notification 2006.

Details:

• All projects or activities in respect of bulk drugs and intermediates, manufactured for addressing various ailments, have been re-categorized from the existing Category ‘A’ to ‘B2’ category.
  • Projects falling under Category B2 are exempted from requirement of collection of Base line data, EIA Studies and public consultation.
• The re-categorization of such proposals has been done to facilitate decentralization of appraisal to State Level so as to fast track the process.
• This step of the government is with a view to help in increasing the availability of the important medicines/drugs in the country within short span of time.
• This amendment is applicable to all proposals received up to 30^th September 2020.
• The states have also been issued advisories to expeditiously process such proposals.

For more on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), click on the linked article.

5. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

Context:

Over 10.2 lakh refunds worth Rs 4,250 crore issued in a week by CBDT to help taxpayers in the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

To know more about the CBDT, click on the linked article.

6. G20

Context:

Finance Minister attends the 2^nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting.

Details:

• Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the virtual session of the 2^nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Saudi Arabian Presidency, to discuss the global economic outlook amid evolving the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
• An Action Plan has been prepared by G20 members on the directions of G20 Leaders to protect lives, safeguard people’s jobs and incomes, restore confidence, preserve financial stability, revive growth and recover stronger, provide help to countries needing assistance, coordinate on public health and financial measures and minimise disruption to global supply chain.

To know more about G20, click on the linked article.

April 15th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

Read more PIB articles here.