Van Dhan Scheme
- The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi launched the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED at Bijapur, Chattisgarh.
- The establishment of “Van Dhan Vikas Kendra” is for providing skill upgradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility.
- Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted. They are then trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect from the jungle.
- Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED. It is proposed to develop 30,000 such centres in the country.
- Value addition assumes critical importance in ensuring remunerative prices to the tribals in this approach. Three stage value addition would be the corner stone for enhancing incomes of the tribals under the scheme.
- The grass root level procurement is proposed to be undertaken through Self Help Groups associated with implementing agencies.
- The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras will be important milestone in economic development of tribals involved in collection of MFPs by helping them in optimum utilization of natural resources and provide sustainable MFP-based livelihood in MFP-rich districts.
Mock Exercise on Bio-Disasters
- NDMA conducted its first-ever Mock Exercise on Bio-Disasters at Patna airport
- The training programme was conducted in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS).
- It is a five-day Day training programme, aimed at enhancing the preparedness of Airport Emergency Handlers (AEHs) to respond to CBRN emergencies at the airports.
- CBRN emergencies pertain to threats emanating due to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear material.
- NDMA jointly with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also conducted its first-ever full-scale Biological Management Emergency Exercise.
- The exercise was based on a suspected Ebola outbreak scenario.
DAC Approves Capital Acquisition Proposals worth Rs 3,687 Crore
- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Defence Minister accorded approval to Capital Acquisition Proposals of the Services valued at over Rs 3,687 crore.
- DAC approved procurement of Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) designed and developed NAG Missile System (NAMIS) at the cost of Rs 524 crore.
- The NAG missile is a third generation anti-tank guided missile, which has top attack capabilities that can effectively engage and destroy all known enemy tanks during day and night.
- The DAC also approved procurement of thirteen 127 mm calibre guns for the Navy. These guns will be fitted on-board new construction ships for undertaking surface engagements including Naval Gunfire Support Operations.
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